naked and miserable and the sight of this would have made her to have sought after that counsell which Christ there gives her Revel 3. Men would have far better consciences if they knew in what ill case their Consciences stand and examination would help them to the knowledge of this If men would but over-looke the booke of their Conscience and see how many omissions of good how many sinfull cōmissions stand registred there it would both make them marvellous sollicitous how to get them wiped out and wondrous wary how any more such Items came there Often reckonings Omni die cum vadis cubitū examina diligenter quid cogitasti quid dixisti indie quomodo utile tempus spatium quod datum est ad acquirendū vitam aeternam dispensasti Et si bene transavisti lauda Deum si malè vel negligēter lugeas sequenti die non differas confiteri Si aliquid cogitasti dixisti velfecisti quod tuam conscientiam multum remordeat non comedas antequam confitearis Bern. form vit honest Suavius dormiunt qui relinquunt curas in calceis would blot out and keep off the score Here is then wisedome for such as desire to keepe good consciences Doe with the workes of thy conversation as God did with the works of his Creation He not onely surveyed at the sixt dayes end the whole worke of the weeke but at each dayes end made a particular survey thereof Doe thou so not onely at the weekes end at thy lives end search thine heart and examine thy course but at every dayes end looke backe into the day past and examine what thy carriage and behaviour hath beene This being done a man shall find his workes either good or evill If good how shall his conscience cheere him with its peace If evil then if conscience have any life or breath in it it will make a man fall to humiliation and to a godly resolution of watching over his waies for the future so shall conscience bee much holpen for integrity Davids counsell is good Ps 4. 5. Examine your hearts upon your beds and his resolution is also good vers 8. of the same Psalm I wil lay me down and sleep in peace Who would not be glad so to sleepe and to take his rest so would we sleep upon Davids pillow sleep in peace then hearken we to Davids counsel to examine our selves upon our beds There is nothing makes a mans bed so soft nor his sleep so sweete as a good conscience It is with Sins as with Cares both trouble a mans sleep both are troublesome bed-fellows as they therefore sleep sweetly that leave their cares in their shooes so they sleepe with most peace that let not sin ly downe to sleepe with them who are so farre from lying downe in their sinnes that by their good will will not let the Sun go downe upon their sin but by examination ferret out the same This being done it may be said as Prov. 3. 24. Thou shalt ly downe and thy sleep shall be sweet Nay further examine thy conscience upon thy bed and thou shalt not onely sleepe in peace but thou shalt awake and arise the next morning with an upright frame of heart disposed to the more caution against Sinne the day following So much David seemes to intimate in that forenamed place Tremble and sinne not That is be afraid to sin take heed ye sin no more But what course may one take to come to that integrity of conscience as to feare to sinne Take this course Examine your hearts upon your beds But alas how rare a practice is this and therefore are good consciences so rare Many thinke this an heavy burden and a sore taske and count the remedy a great deale worse than the disease there is nothing they tremble at more than a domesticall Audit and this reckning with their consciences They say of conscience as Ahab of Micaiah and care as little to meddle with conscience as Ahab with Micaiah I hate him for he never speakes good to me 1 King 22. So they thinke the conscience will deale with them They know their conscience will speake as Iob sayes God wrote Thou writest bitter things against me Conscience hath such a stinging waspish tongue that by no meanes they dare indure a parly with it It is with many and their consciences as with men that have shrewish wives Many a man when hee is abroad hath no joy at all to come home nay he is very loath to come within his owne doores he feares he shall have such a peale rung him that hee had rather be on the house top as Solomon speakes or in some out house and lodge as our Savior at Bethlem in a cratch or a Manger than come within the noise of her clamorous and chattering tongue So many thinke conscience hath such a terrible shrewish tongue that if they shall but come within the sound thereof they shall be cast into such melancholly dumpes as they shall not be able in haste to claw off againe How much and how seriously are they to be pitied that to prevent a few houres or dayes supposed sorrow and sadnesse by which they might come to procure both peace and integrity of Conscience will adventure the rack and eternal torture of conscience in Hell Remember that there is no melancholly to the melancholly of Hell CHAP. VI. Two further meanes to procure integrity of Conscience IN the fourth place deale with thy conscience as God would have Abraham doe by Sarah Gen. 21. 12. In all that Sarah shall say unto thee hearken unto her voice So here if we would get and keep a good conscience in all that it shall say unto us being enlightned and directed by the word hearken unto it Conscience being enlightned hath a voyce and no man but sometime or other shall heare this voyce of conscience Conscience is Gods Monitor to speake to men when others cannot or dare not speak Sometimes men cannot speak as not being privie to other mens necessities and failings Sometimes they may not be suffered to speak as Ahab will not indure Micaiah to speake to him Sometime if a man speake hee may have rough and angry answers as the Prophet had from Amaziah 2. Chron. 26. 16. Art thou made of the Kings Counsell forbeare why shouldst thou be smitten God hath therefore provided every man even great men which may not be spoken to he hath provided them a bosome Chaplein that will round them in the eare and will talk roundly to them one that will be of their counsell in despight of them one that feares no fists dreads no smiting yea one that fears not to smite the greatest 2 Sam. 24. 10. And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people It may be many there were about David that had not the hearts to smite Dauid with a grave reproofe though hee gives leave to the righteous to doe so Ps 141. Let the righteous smite mee but yet whilst others it may be are fearfull and timorous to doe him that good office conscience is at no demurre upon the point that feares not but smites David
for sin Gods Ministers are oft slighted and light set by preachers caÌ„not be regarded but God hath given men a Preacher in their own bosom and this Preacher will make many a curtain sermon wil take men to task upon their pillow will be preaching over our Sermons againe to them And though many will not be brought to repetition of Sermons in their Families yet they have a Repeater in their bosom that will be at private repetitions with them in spite of them and will tell them This is not according to that you have been taught you have been taught otherwise you have been reproved for and convinced of this sinne in the publicke Ministerie c. Why doe not you hearken and reforme Thus then conscience having a voyce and doing the office of a Preacher unto us if wee would have conscience good then in all things that conscience enlightened shall say unto us hearken unto it More distinctly conscience hath a two-fold voyce 1. A voyce of direction telling us what is good or evill what is lawfull and unlawfull Isa 30. 21. And thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying This is the way walke ye in it That is understood of Ita enim desuper in silento sonat quidam non auribus sed mentibus August in Psal 42. the voyce of Gods spirit in the secret suggestions thereof and such is the voyce also of conscience within us dictating to us and directing us what duties are to be done what courses to be avoyded How many times doth conscience presse us to repentance and to reforme our wayes how often doth it call upon us to settle to such and such good courses and so with David Psal 16. 7. Our reines doe teach it in the night season 2 A voyce of correction and accusation checking and chiding taking up and shipping us when we do amisse So Psal 42. 5. 11. and Ps 43. 5. Why art thou cast downe O my Soule and why art thou disquieted within me And Ps 77. 10. whilst in the foregoing verses he was complaining and using some speeches that might savor of some diffidence see how Conscience doth her office by a correcting voyce And I said this is my infirmitie as if hee had said whilst I was using such different expostulations mine own conscience told me I did not do well CoÌ„science so speaks to us as the Lord to Ionah Ion. 4. 4. 9. Dost thou well to be angry So sayes conscience oft Doest thou well to be thus earthly thus eager upon the world thus negligent and formall in holy duties thus conscience gives her privie nips and her secret checks This is that of which Iob speaks Iob 27. 6. My heart shall not reproch me so long as I live Implying that conscience after sin hath a reproching voice as when it befooles a man as foole that thou art to do this to lose thy peace with God for a base sinfull pleasure Thus Davids conscience reproched him 2 Sam. 24. 10. I have don very foolishly yea Ps 37. 22. it puts the foole and the beast both upon him So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee This is the smiting of the conscience 2 Sam. 24. 10. Conscience first points with the finger and gives direction if that be neglected it smites with the fist and gives correction Now then that which I ayme at is this If we would get and keepe a good conscience then neglect not nor despise conscience when it speaketh Doth thy conscience presse thee to any works of piety to the care of family-worship and privat devotion to the reading of the Scriptures sanctification of the Sabbath c. In any case be so wise as to hearken to the councels to the urgings and to the injunctions which come out of the Court of Conscience Hearken in any case to this Preacher whom thou canst not suspect of partiality malice ill will as thou dost others therby giving way to satans policy that hereby stops up the passages of thine heart that the Word may not enter Here can be no such suspitions conscience cannot be suspected to be set on by others though Ieremy be charged to be set on by Baruch Ier. 43. 3. Therefore hearken to the voice of this Preacher and this will helpe thee to a good conscience Ideo quantuÌ„ potes teipsum coargue inquire in te accusatoris primum partibus sungere deinde Iudicis novissime deprecatoris aliquando offâ—ndete Senec. epist 28. Againe doth thy conscience rebuke thee doth it chide and check thee doth thy heart reproach thee for thy wayes doth it say doest thou well to live in such and such Sins Doth it punctually reprove thee for thine evils Doe not answer conscience as Ionas answered God frowardly Yea I doe well but even close with conscience and doe thou accuse thy selfe as fast as it accuses acknowledge thy folly yield promise and covenant with thy conscience a present and speedy reformation This if it were done how happy should men be in getting and keeping a good conscience But alas how few regard the voyce of Conscience and once hearken to it and the very want of this duty is it which breeds so much ill conscience in the world Men in this case are guilty of a double wickednesse Either they deale as the Iewes with the Apostles Act. 4. 18. and 1 Thes 2. 16. They either stop consciences mouth and labour to silence this Preacher or else they deale with conscience as the Iews did with Stephen Act. 7. 57. They stopped their eares If they cannot stop consciences mouth they will at least stop their owne eares 1 They labour to stop consciences mouth If conscience begin to take them aside and to say to them as Ehud to Eglon Iudg. 3. 19. I have a secret errand unto thee they answer but in another sense as hee did Keepe silence If conscience offer to be talking unto them they shufflle it off as Felix did Paul they are not at leasure they will finde some other time when their leasure will better serve Yea many when their consciences reproach them they againe reproach and reprove it and answer it as the Danites did Micah Iudges 11. 23. What ayleth thee and are ready to give reproachfull language to their owne conscience that it cannot be quiet and let them alone 2 But yet Conscience will not of entimes be thus posted and shuffled off will not bee gagged or suffer her lips to bee sown up but will deale with a man as the woman of Canaan did with our Saviour Math. 15. She would not be put off with neglect or crosse answers but she stil presses upon our Saviour and grows so much the more importunat So oftentimes conscience when she sees men shuffle growes the more importunate
the people should goe Sacrifice but hee cannot abide that Moses should bee so peevishly precise that not an hoofe should be left behind Alas an hoofe is but a toy not worth the mentioning what need Moses bee so strict as to stand upon an hoofe Yet a good conscience will stand upon it having Gods Commandement and will make conscience as well of carrying away hoofes as of whole bodies of Cattell It is with a good conscience as it is with the apple of the eye of all the parts of the body it is the most tender not onely of some great shives or splints under the eye-lid but even the smallest haire and dust grieves and offends it It is so with a tender good conscience not onely beames but also moates disquiet the eye of a good conscience and not onely greater and fouler Sinnes but even such as the world counts veniall trifles doe offend it A good conscience straines not onely at a Camell but at a Gnat also Neither doth our Saviour blame the Pharisees simply for straining at a Gnat but for their hypocrisie who would pretend conscience in smaller things and meane while made none in the greater for otherwise a good conscience indeed hath a narrow passage for a Gnat as well as for a Camell The least corne of gravell galls his foot that hath a strait shooe but hee that hath a large wide shooe slopping about his foot it is no trouble to him It is just so with consciences good and evill A Gnat is but a small thing yet Pope Bol. pag. of Popes pag. 97. Hadrian the fourth was choakt with a Gnat and one Flye though but a small thing to a whole boxe of oyntment yet dead Flies as small things as they are cause the oyntment of the Apothecarie to send forth a stinking savour Ec. 10. 1. and so doth a little folly though but little doe a great deale of hurt And therefore a good conscience lives by Salomons rule Give not water passage no not a little And take not onely the Foxes but the little Foxes which spoyle not onely the Vines but the tender Grapes Cant. 2. 15. It knowes a little will make way for much Pharaoh is content that the people the men should go sacrifice Ex. 10. but their little ones should not goe he knew if hee had but their little ones with him he should be sure enough of their return therefore Moses will not onely have the men goe but their little ones also And therefore a good conscience deales with Satan as Marcus Arethusius dealt with Putantes pauperem vel medietatem petebant pecuniarum novissime vel paueum aliquid exigebant Quibus ait nec obolum unum pro omnibus dabo Hist Tripart lib. 6. cap. 12. his tormentours who having pulled downe an Idolatrous Temple and being urged by them to give so much as would build it up againe refused it They urged him to give but halfe hee still refused they urged him at last to give but a little towards it but he refused to give them so much as one halfe-penny No not an halfe-penny sayes he for it is as great wickednesse to conferre one Ad impietatem inquit obulum conferre unum perinde valet ac si quis cōferat omnia Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 7. halfe penny in case of Impiety as if a man should bestow the whole What was a poore halfe-penny it was a very small matter specially considering in what torture he was from which an half-penny gift would haue released him Indeed an half-penny is but a little but yet it is more then a good Conscience dares give to the maintenance of idolatrous worship A good conscience will not give so much as a farthing token to such an use as little a thing as it is For he that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much Luke 16. 10. Even the least things are as great trials of a good conscience as the greatest A good Conscience will not greatifie Satan nor neglect God no not in a little Put mens consciences now vpon this triall Who crakes not of his good conscience there be none if they may bee beleeved but they have good Consciences But why are they good They can swallow no Camells Well yeeld them that though if their entrals were well searcht a man might finde huge bunch backt camells that have gone downe their gullets They can swallow no camells but what say they to gnats can they swallow them Tush Gnats are nothing whole swarmes of them can goe downe their throats and they never once cough for the matter Foule and grosse scandalls such as are infamous amongst meere heathen such Camells they swallow not but what say they to unsavorie and naughtie thoughts which their hearts prosecute with delight what say they to them Gnats doe not swarme more abundantly in the fennes then such vile thoughts doe in their hearts The prodigious oaths of wounds blood the damned language of Ruffians and the Monsters of the earth Oh their hearts would tremble to have such words passe out of their mouths but yet what say they to the neater and civilified Complements of Faith and Troth Tush these are trifles meere Gnats alas that you shall stand upon such niceties To rob a man upon the high way or to breake up a mans house in the night this is a monstrous Camell but in buying and selling to over-reach a neighbour a shilling or two a penny or two what say they to that Oh God forbid they should be so strictly dealt withall that is a small thing their throats are not so narrow but these Gnats will goe downe easily enough To beare false witnesse in an open Court of Iustice or to be guilty of pillory-perjury these bee foule things but to lye a little for a mans advantage or to make another man merriment what thinke they of this This is a very Gnat they are ashamed to straine thereat Tell many a man of his sinne in which he lyes that his sinne and a good conscience cannot stand together what is his answer but as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one Gen. 19. 20 But the truth is that these little ones are great evidences of evill conscience It is but a dreame to thinke our consciences good that make no conscience of small sinnes and duties The conscionable Nazarite now did not only make conscience of guzling and quaffing whole cups of wine but of eating but an huske and a kernell of a Grape What a trifle is the kernell of a Grape and yet a good conscience will care to please God as well in abstinence from the kernell as from the cup. Indeed when David had defiled and hardned his conscience with his adultery then hee could cut Vriahs throat and his heart smites him not for it but when under his affliction his conscience was tender and good his heart smites him
Iesus with the palme of his hand c. Lu. 22. 63 64. And the men that held Iesus mocked him and smote him And when they had blind-folded him they stroke him on the face He felt the weight of their fists for the same quarrell that Paul did So it was fore-prophecied of him Isa 50. 6. I gave my backe to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire It was the kindnesse that Zidkiah could afford Micaiah 1 King 22. 24. He went neere and smote him on the cheeke it was the thanks the Prophet was like to have for the discharge of a good conscience 1 Chr. 25. 16. Forbear why shouldst thou be smitten It is that of which Iob cōplained so long since Iob 16. 10. Mine enemie sharpens his eyes upon me they have gaped upon me with the mouth they have smitten me upon the cheeke reproachfully The same portion shall the Prophet Ieremy meet withall Ier. 20. 2. Then Pashur smote Ieremiah the Prophet What was the quarrell That in the former vers Hee heard that Ieremiah had prophecied these things Only for discharging his conscience for the conscionable dispensation of Gods truth And as sometime they smote him on the mouth so somtime they smote him with the mouth Ier. 18. 18. Come let us devise devices against Ieremiah come let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words And why would they smite him with the tongue Onely for his conscience and fidelity in his Ministery There is mention made of two false Prophets against whom an heavie judgment is threatned Ier. 29. 21 23. Ahab Zedekiah two base scandalous debauched persons who committed villany in Israel and committed adultery with their neighbors wives The Prophet Ieremy he out of conscience fulfils his Ministry see how light-fingred Pashur is he hath fists for Ieremies face and stocks for his heeles but in the meane time Ahab Zedekiah they may whore play the villains and they feele not the weight of his little finger If his fingers must needs be walking there is worke for them there he may strike and stocke with credit But there is no such zeale against them No such dealing with them Zedekiah and Ahab may be in good tearmes of grace with Pashur whilst Ieremiah must have blowes on the face ly by the heeles So well can wicked men brook villany and any wretched courses better than they can a good conscience Pashur can better endure an aduletrous whoremaster than an honest conscionable Prophet villaines may wall at liberty whilst a good conscience shal sit in the stocks Heere then is the portion a good conscience may look for from the world The better conscience the harder measure For which of my good works do ye stone me saith our Saviour Ioh. 10. 32. A strange recompence for good works and yet oft-times the best recompence and reward that the world can afford good works and a good conscience stones and strokes And if so be that feare of law and happy government bind their hands yet then will they bee smiting with the tongue and if the law keep them in awe for smiting on the mouth yet then will they do what they dare they will smite with the mouth A faire Item to all that meane to undertake Vse 1 the profession and courses of good cōscience Do as many do in case of marriage before they affect the person they first consider how they like the portion So heere before thou meddle with good conscience thinke with thy selfe what is her portion and if thou like not that it is but a folly to think of a good conscience Do as our Saviour advises Luk. 14. 28. Sit down first count the cost and whether thou be able to endure that cost or no. Ananias hath a fierce spirit and a foule heavie fist Pashur is a club fisted fellow and the spitting adders of the world will smite their sting deepe Suppose a good conscience may speed better as having the protection of Christian government yet this it must reckon upon and it must account of the hardest Therfore think before hād before you meddle with it how you can beare the fists and blowes of smiters if ever you should come under them I may say here as our Saviour did to the Sons of Zebedeus Mat. 20. 20 21. Ye know not what ye aske Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with Many say they desire to enter the courses of a good conscience but doe not well know nor well weigh what they desire Consider with your selves Are ye able to drink of the cup that a good conscience shall drinke of Can ye be baptized with the baptisme that a good conscience must be baptized with Can ye indure the smart of Ananias blows Can ye bear the load of Pashurs club fist Think upon this aforehand and weight it well this is that you must make account of that will set upon the courses of a good conscience Is this the portion of a good cōscience see then what a good measure of Christian Vse 2 resolution they shall need to have that take the profession of it upon them Be shod with the shoos of the preparation of the Gospel Eph. 6. 15. Grow marveilous resolute to harden thy self and to harden thy face against all enemies fists blows whatsoever that though Ananias should dash thee on the face yet he might not dash thee and thy good conscience out of Countenance Thus did our Saviour Is 50. 6. I gave my backe to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire I hid not my face from shame and spitting But how was hee ever able to endure all this See vers 7. I have set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed So must thou doe that meanest to keepe a good conscience Get a face and a fore-head of flint that enemies may as soone cracke a flint with their knuckles as by their violence and injuries drive thee from a good conscience Get an Ezekiels face Ezek. 3. 9. Make thy forehead as an Adamant harder than a flint Steele and flint thy face with all heroicall resolution A face of flesh will never endure but a face of flint will hold Ananias fist tacke let him strike while he will he shall sooner batter a flint with his fist than stir a resolved conscience out of its station But believe me these be hard things to Quest undergo who will be able to abide such hard measure how therefore may one grow to such resolution to abide the worlds fists the smart of their smiting 1. Consider that conscience hath fists Answ as well as Ananias 1 Sam. 24. 5. 2 Sam. 24. 10. Davids heart smote him And what are Ananias his blowes on the face to the blowes of conscience at the
heart One blow on the heart or with the heart is more painefull than an hundred on the face and as Rehoboam speaks of himselfe 1 King 12. 10. so consciences little finger is thicker heavier and more intollerable than both Ananias his hands and loynes Now then here is the case If Paul will stand to his conscience then Ananias his fists will be about his eares If Paul do forsake or flawe good conscience for feare or for the favour of Ananias then will consciences fist be about his heart Now then if no remedy but a man must have blowes it is good wisedome to chuse the lightest fist and the softer hand and to take the blow on that part that is best able to beare it with most ease The face is better able to abide blows than the heart and Ananias his blowes are but fillips to the clubbing blowes of conscience We would scarce judge him a wise man that to avoyd a cuffe on the eare would put himselfe under the danger of a blow with a club Here is that then that may make us to compose our selves to patience and to grow to an hardinesse and a Christian resolution Better ten blowes on the face than one on the heart Better an hundred from Ananias than one from conscience that will lay on load let the world smite yet mine heart smites not yea that strokes and comforts whilst the world strikes and threatens Therefore being smitten in case of conscience rather than give out do as our Saviour bids in another case Math. 5. 39. Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also 2. Consider that in the next verse God shall smite thee God hath smiting fists as well as Ananias Let him smite but yet there will come a time that God shall smite him God will call smiters to a reckoning 3. Consider that of David Psal 3. 7. Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheeke bone thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly God will not onely smite the enemies of his people but will smite them with disgrace as it is a matter of vile disgrace to have a boxe on the cheeke and hee will give them such a dust on the mouth as shall dash out their very teeth he will lay heavie and disgracefull judgements upon them as he did upon Absolom of whom David speakes May it ever be thy lot to see good conscience under the fists of smiters be not discouraged start not stumble not at it Bee not ready to inferre It is in vaine to cleanse a mans conscience and wash his hands in innocencie But consider that this hath been ever the worlds madnesse and the ancient lot of a good conscience either to bee smitten with adversaries hands or varlets tongues CHAP. XVII The impetuous injustice and malice of the adversaries of a good conscience AS we have seene the entertainment a good conscience meets withall in the world so we may here further see the inordinat violences that the enemies and haters of a good conscience are carried with Therefore out of this insolent Injunction of Ananias we may in the second place observe The heady violence and impetuous injustice Doct. 2 of the adversaries of good conscience Smite him on the mouth A man would not imagine that hatred and malice against goodnesse should so transport a man as to make him run into so much so open so grosse Injustice Doe but examine the fact and you shall see a strange deale of injustice therein 1. Who is he that bids smite The high Priest He had a better Canon to live by Mal. 2. 6. He walked with me in peace and equity So Levi walked so should Gods Priests walke also And that Canon of Paul for the Ministry of the Gospel held no lesse good for the Ministry of the law That he should not be soone angry no striker Tit. 1. 7. How haps it then that the High Priest is thus light fingred Smite him on the mouth Oh! shame that such a word should come out of a Priests especially the High Priests mouth 2. Who must be smitten Paul an Innocent Foule injustice Questionlesse if Paul had offered such measure but to Ananias his dog to have smitten him for nothing but out of his meer spight Ananias would have judged him a dogged fellow And would Ananias use an innocēt person as he would be loth a man should use his dog 3. Where must this blow be given In open Court where they were all convened to doe justice Still the worse If he had commanded him to have been smitten in his private Parlour it had been unjustifiable but to smite him in open Court and to doe injustice in the place of Iustice this is deepe injustice The place he sate in the gravity of his person Gods High Priest the solemnity of the administration of justice all these might have manacled his hands and have a little tempered and bridled his spirit A foule indignity for the Iudge of Israel to bee smitten on the cheeke Mic. 5. 1. As foule an iniquity for a Iudge of Israel to smite on the mouth wrongfully and in an open Court of Iustice What an indecent thing for a Iudge to goe to cuffes on the Bench What an intemperate and a vindictive spirit argues it But what is the Indency to the Injustice And what Injustice to that which was done upon the Bench Of all wormwood that is the most bitter into which justice is turned 4. For what is the blow given For a good conscience What And hath Gods High Priest no more conscience than so his place teaches him to bee a Protector Defender and an Incourager of good conscience His whole office is matter of conscience and will he that should teach maintaine and incourage good conscience will he smite men for good conscience What is this but Is 58. 4. To smite with the fist of wickednesse 5. When is the blow given When he is begining to plead his own innocencie to speake in his own defence More injustice yet Did not Nicodemus speake reason Ioh. 7. 51. Doth our Law judge any man before it heare him Nay if Ananias have no regard to Gods Law as it seemes hee hath but a little that will smite a man for good conscience yet what will he say to Caesars Law Act. 18. 25. Is it lawfull for you to scourage and so to smite a man that is a Roman and uncondemned and unheard To judge and condemne a man unheard is deep Injustice but far deeper to punish and execute him Will hee hang a man and then try him Lo here indeed a right unrighteous Iudge that feares neither God nor man that regards neither Gods Law nor Caesars To have done by Paul as Gallio did Act. 18. 14 16. When Paul was about to open his mouth to drive him and the rest from the judgement-seat this had beene injustice but when Paul opens his mouth to speake for himself for Ananias to stop
way to a good conscience but he whose faith doth not as well purifie the heart as pacifie it hath neither faith nor a good conscience It is idle to hope for peace by faith whilst thou livest impenitently in a sinfull course Thou canst have no peace of conscience so long as thou hast peace with thy sins Peace with conscience will be had by war with sin in the daily practise of repentance It it is but a dreame to think of a good cōscience in peace whilst a man makes no conscience of sin They that have a good conscience by Christs bloud may be indeed said to have no conscience of sin as Heb. 10. 2. But yet there is a great difference betweene having no conscience and making no conscience of sin To have no conscience of sin is to have a peaceable good conscience not accusing of sin being sprinkled with Christs blood To make no conscience of sin is for a man impenitently to live and ly in any sin Now let any judge whether these two can stand together that a man may live as he list and make no conscience of any sin and yet have such peace by faith as that he hath no Conscience of sin It is an unconscionable thing in this sense to lay all upon Christ an unconscionable request to have him take away our guiltinesse and yet wee would wallow in our filthinesse still How shall faith remove the sting when repentance removes not the Sin Men seeking peace by faith in Christs blood yet living and lying in their sins without repentance God will give them Iehues answer to Iehoram 2 King 9. 22. What peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebel and her witchcrafts are so many So what peace of conscience so long as thine oathes Sabbath-breaches whoredomes drunkennes c. do remain and remaine unrepented of and unreformed It is true of all Sin which is spoken of Romish Idolatry Apoc. 14. 11. They have norest day nor night that is no peace of conscience to any of that religion so of all that live in any Sin they have no true rest day nor night that is as Isaiah interprets it There is no peace to the wicked Peace and wickednesse live not together under one roofe Wouldst thou then have a peaceable heart Get an humbled a mourning and a repentant heart for Sin The lesse peace with Sin the more peace with God and our owne Consciences 3. The constant and conscionable exercise of prayer An excellent meanes to helpe us to the sense of that peace which makes the conscience good Hee that hath a good conscience will make conscience of prayer And prayer will helpe to make a good conscience better Phil. 4. 7. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made knowne unto God and marke what shall be the fruit thereof And the peace of God that passes all understanding shall keepe your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ See Iob 33. 26. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him and he shall see his face with joy It is many times with mens consciences as it was with Saul hee was vexed and disquieted with an evill spirit but Davids Harpe gave him ease Prayer is a Davids Harpe the musicke whereof sweetly calmes and composes a distempered and disquieted conscience and puts it into frame againe As in other disquiets of the heart after prayer David bids his soule returne unto her rest Ps 116. 4. 7. So we may in these disquiets of conscience do no lesse The way to get a good peaceable conscience is to have acquaintance with God and when wee have acquaintance with him then shall we have peace Iob 22. 21. Acquaint thy selfe now with him and be at peace Now acquaintance is gotten with God by prayer Zech. 13. 9. They shall call on my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God Loe how in prayer acquaintance is bred betweene God and his people and acquaintance breedes love and peace and peace a good Conscience Iudge then what pitious conscience they must needs have that make so little conscience of seeking God in this duty of wicked ones the Psalme speakes They call not upon God Psal 14. as much as Isaiah sayes There is no peace to the wicked they are utterly voyd of good Conscience CHAP. V. Integrity of Conscience how procured ANd thus we have seen how the conscience may be good for peace It followes to consider how it may become uprightly good with the goodnesse of Integrity The goodnesse of Integrity is gotten and kept by doing five things 1. Walke and live as Paul in this Text Before God Set thy selfe ever in all thy wayes as in the sight and presence of God who is the Iudge and Lord of conscience Of Moses it is said that he saw him that was invisible Heb. 11. 27. Therfore it is that men walke with such loose and evill consciences because they think they walke invisibly And they think that God sees not them because they see not God An upright conscience is a good conscience and this is the way to get an upright one Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be upright To have God alwayes in our eye will make us walke with upright hearts So Psal 119. 168. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies that is in effect I have kept a good Conscience but how came he to doe it for all my wayes are before thee Conscience as we saw before is a knowledge together that is together with God Now then this is an excellent meanes to get and keepe a good conscience to be carefull to doe nothing but that which we would be content God should know as well as our selves Think with thy selfe before every evill action Am I content that God should know of this But how then may a man bring himself to this Set thy self alwayes in Gods presence and see the invisible God and see thy selfe visible in his eye and know that thou doest nothing which he takes not notice of This well thought upon and laid to heart would make men make much conscience of their wayes The contrary to this is rash walking Lev. 26. when a man walkes so loosely and heedlesly as if there were no eye upon him to view him in his actions 2. Frame thy whole Course by the Dirige gressus secundū verbum tuum Quid est Dirige secundum verbum tuum Virecti sint gressus mei quia rectum est verbum tuum Ego inquit distortus sum sub pondere iniquitatis sed verbum tuum est regula veritatis me ergo distortum à me corrige tanquam ad regulam hoc est ad verbum tuum Au. de ver Apo. ser 12. rule and shape it by the directions of the word of God Gods Word is the Rule of conscience Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to
but for cutting Sauls coat 1 Sam. 24. 5. See the nature of a good conscience it will smile not onely for cutting Sauls throat but for cutting Sauls coat but for an appearance vpon a suspicion and but a iealousie of evill Paul speakes of a pure Conscience 2 Tim. 1. 3. Now it is with the pure conscience as it is with pure Religion Iam. 1. 17. Pure religion and undefiled is to keepe á mans selfe unspotted of the world It hates not onely wallowing with the Sow in the mire but is shie of very spots and hates not only the flesh but the garment not onely that is grosely besmeared but which is but spotted with the flesh Iude 23. according to that Ceremonial Levit. 15. 17. And this is that which differences civility and a good Conscience Civility shunnes mire but is not so trim as to wash off spots this is the pure Religion of a pure Conscience Pure Religion and nndefiled is to keep a mans selfe unspotted therefore they who are not unspoted are not undefiled but if their consciences be but spotted yet are they defiled Mens consciences are as their Religion is and pure Religion is spotlesse Yea to close this point the greatest evidence of a good conscience is in making Conscience of small things Whilst Probat enim etiam in majoribus si res exigat executorem se idoneum fore à quo minora compleantur Salvian de provid l. 3. men feare great sinnes or are carefull of maine duties it may bee their reputation and credits may sway them which otherwise would be impeached So that in them it may be a question whether it be Conscience or Credit that is the first mover but in smaller things where there is no credit to be had nay for scrupling whereof a man may rather receive some discredit from the world here it is more evident that good Conscience sets a man on This then is a note of a good Conscience to make Conscience as of small duties so of small sinnes as hee that feares poison feares to take a drop as well as a draught and men feare not onely when a firebrand is thrust into but when a sparke lights upon their thatch CHAP. VIII Three other notes of a good Conscience A Third note of good conscience may be this It loves and likes a Ministry and such Ministers as preach and speake 3. Note of good conscience To love a Ministry that speaks home to the conscience to the Conscience It likes such a dispensation of the Word as comes home to it whether for direction or reproofe The Word is the rule of conscience and a good conscience is desirous to know the rule it must live by The Word must judge the conscience this every good conscience knowes and therefore grudges not to be reproved by it as knowing that if it will not abide the Words reproofe it must abide the Words iudgement Therefore a man with a good conscience speakes as Samuel Speake Lord thy servant heares He can suffer the words of exhortation and not count himselfe to suffer whilst it is done He is of Davids minde Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindnesse let him reproue me and it shall bee an excellent oyle which shall not breake mine head Psal 141. 5. It is with good conscience as with good eyes that can abide the light and can delight in it whereas sicke and sore eyes are troubled and offended therewith A sound heart is like sound flesh that can abide not onely touching but also rubbing and chafing and yet a man will not bee put into a chafe thereby whereas contrarily if the least thorne or vnsoundnesse bee therein Tu scis Deus noster quod tunc de Alipio ab illa peste sanando non cogetaverim At ille in se rapuit meque illud non nisi propter se dixisle credidit quod alias acciperet ad succensendum mihi accepit honestus adolescens ad succensendum sibi ad meardentius diligendum Aug. conf lib. 6. ca. 7. a touch at vnawares provokes a man if not to smite yet to angry words and language of displeasure Vnsound flesh loves to be stroakt and to be handled gently the least roughnesse puts into a rage That is the ingenuity of a good conscienence which was the good disposition of Alipius when hee was vnwittingly taxed by Augustine for his Theatricall vanities hee was so sarre from being angry with him though he conceived him purposely to ayme at him that hee was rather angry with himselfe and loved Augustine so much the better Put mens consciences vpon this triall and we shall see what the consciences of most men are Let a man preach in an vnprofitable maner let him spend himselfe in idle curiosities and speculations let him be in combate with obsolete or forraine heresies so long their Minister is a faire and a good Churchman But let him doe as God commands Ezekiel to doe Ezek. 14. 4. Answer them according to their Idols preach to their necessities let him call them and presse them to holy duties and reprove them for their vnholy practises and make knowne vnto them what evill consciences they have what then is Scio me offensurum quam plurimos qui generalem de vitiis disputationem in suam referunt contumeliam dum mihi irascuntur suam judicant conscientiam multoque prius de se quam de me judicant Hieron ad Rustic Monach. their carriage and behaviour Even that Amos. 5. 10. They hate him that rebukes in the gate and they abhorre him that speaks vprighly This Ministry that comes to the conscience will not downe with them It lets in too much light vpon them and Ahab hates Micaiah for drawing the curtains so wide open he cannot endure such punctuall and particular preaching that clappes so close to his conscience A plaine signe that Ahab hath a rotten and an vnsound Conscience Micaiah could not be more punctuall with Ahab then Isaiah was with Hezekiah Isa 39. 6 7. And yet what sayes Hezekiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken as if he had said a good Sermon a good Preacher all good Whence comes this good entertainment of so harsh a message Hezekiah had a good Conscience and therefore though the message went against the haire yet he could give good words Let the righteous smite mee and it shall be a kindnesse Psal 141. I but that is whē the righteous smites the righteous what if the Prophet smite Amaziah he will threaten to smite him againe 2 Chron. 25. 16. Forbeare why shouldest thou be smitten Why if Paul preach of a good Conscience and so make Ananias his Conscience to smite him Ananias will commaund the standers by to smite him on the mouth Now let all the standers by judge whether Ananias have any good Conscience in him who cannot brook the preaching of good Cōscience Let men professe they know God as long as they
hee did they might have beene thought to have done it for gaine and not for conscience sake How great is often the zeale of many against fashions and such vanities How well it were if it were for conscience sake and not for envy against some particular person whom they doe distaste and so for the person the vanity For if it be for conscience sake how is it that those vanities such great offences to their consciences found in some distasted persons are yet no trouble to their consciences being the very same if not worse in their owne favourites and associates Iudge whether such zeale come from conscience or from corrupt affection whether it be not more against the person 5. Note of a good conscience Holy boldnesse Bona conscientia prodire vult conspici ipsas nequitia tenebras timet Senec. ep 98. Qui non deliquit decet audacem esse confidenter prose proterve loqui Plaut in Anth. then against the sinne 5. We have a fift note of a good conscience in the Text. And Paul earnestly beholding the Councell Here is a marke of a good conscience in his lookes as well as in his words in his face as well as in his speech Paul is here convented before the Councell with what face is hee able to behold them And Paul earnestly beholding the Councell A good conscience makes a man hold up his head even in the thickest of his enemies It can looke them in the faces and out-face a whole rabble of them assembled on purpose to cast disgrace on it That may be said of a man with a good conscience which is spoken of some of Davids men 1 Chron. 12. 8. Whose faces were like the faces of Lions for the righteous is bold as a Lion Prov. 28. 1. Now might Paul truely have said as David Ps 57. 4. My soule is among Lions I ly among them that are set on fire And now how fares hee what is he all amort lookes he pale and blanke doth he sneake or hang downe his head or droope with a dejected countenance No Paul is as bold as a Lion and can face these Lions and earnestly fixe his countenance upon the best of them A good conscience makes a mans face as God had made Ezekiels Ez. 3. 8 9. Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads As an Adamant harder then flint have I made thy forehead feare them not neither be dismaid at their lookes Such hartening and hardening comes also from a good conscience A good conscience makes a man goe as the Lord in another sense tells Israell he had done for them Levit. 26. 13. I have made you goe upright A good conscience erects a mans face and lookes it is no sneaking slinker but makes a man goe upright As contrarily guilt dejects both a mans spirits and his lookes and unlesse a man have a Sodomiticall impudencie Isa 3. 9. or an whores forehead Ier. 3. 3. which refuses to be ashamed makes him hang downe the head Paul fixes his eyes here and lookes earnestly upon them but what if they had looked as earnestly upon him yet would not his good conscience have beene outfaced See Act. 6. 15. All that sate in the Councel looked stedfastly on him namely on Steven If but the high Priest alone had faced him it had beene somewhat but all that sate at the Councell looked stedfastly on him Surely one would thinke such a presence were able to have damped and utterly to have dashed him out of countenance But how is it with him Is hee appalled Is hee damped They saw his face as it had beene the face of an Angell sayes the text As wisedome Eccl. 8. 1. so a good conscience makes the face to shine A good conscience hath not onely a Lions but an Angels face it hath not onely a Lion-like boldnesse but an Angelicall dazling brightnesse which the sicke and sore eyes of malice can as ill indure to behold as the Israelites could the shining brightnesse of Moses face The face of a good conscience tels enemies that they are malicious Lyars And no wonder that a good conscience hath such courage and confidence in the face standing before a whole Councell when it shall be able to hold up it head with boldnesse before the Lord himselfe at that great day of the generall Iudgement Even then shall a good conscience have a bold face CHAP. IX Two other and the last notes of a good conscience A Sixt note of a good conscience followes namely that which we have 6. Note of conscience To suffer for conscience 1 Pet. 2. 19. When a man for conscience towards God endures griefe suffering wrong A good conscience had rather that Ananias should smite then it selfe should Ananias his blowes are nothing to the blowes of conscience Ananias may make Pauls cheekes glow but conscience gives such terrible buffets as will make the stoutest heart in the world to ake That will pinch and twitch and gird the heart with such griping throwes that all the blowes and tortures that Ananias his cruell heart can invent are nothing to them Now therefore a man that sets any store by a good conscience will not part with the Peace or Integrity thereof upon any termes Hee rates the goodnesse of his conscience far above al earthly things Wealth liberty wife children life it selfe all are vile and cheape in comparison of it And therefore a man of a good conscience will endure any griefe and suffer any wrong to keepe his conscience good towards God Such a good conscience had Daniel Dan. 1. 8. Hee proposed in his heart that hee would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meat That is he was fully setled and resolved in his cōscience come what would come he would not do that which would not stand with a good conscience But what if it could have gotten no other meat without all doubt he would rather have starved than have defiled his conscience with that meat Hee would have lost his life rather than have lost the Peace and Integrity of his conscience It seemes a question of great difficulty which was put to the three Children Dan. 3. Whether they will give the bowing of their bodies to the golden Idoll or the burning of their bodies to the fiery Furnace But yet they find no such difficulty therin they were not carefull to answer in that matter ver 16. Of the two fires they chose the coolest the easiest The fire of a guilty conscience is seven times hotter and more intolerable than the fire of Nebuchadnezzars Furnace though it be heated seven times more then it is wont to be heated If the question come betweene life and good conscience that one of the two must be parted withall it is an hard case Life is wondrous sweet and precious Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Iob 2. 4. What
this poyson No buckler against these swords Yes there is the soveraigne balme and the impenetrable buckler of a good conscience It is a balsome that will allay the poyson of these Adders that it shall never burst a mans heart or if these swords pierce the very innermost bowels yet this will so salve these wounds that they shall not ranckle nor become mortall Oh! how mortall is this adders poyson how fatall are these swords how keene their edge and how full of paine their wounds where inward guilt gives strength unto them But integrity and goodnesse of conscience is a precious balme of Gilead that takes away the venome of this poyson the stinging smart of the wounds of these swords Let Paul live with ever so good a conscience before God and man Act. 24. 16. yet Tertullus will play the spitting adder and hee will spit yea spue forth his poyson in his face and in the face of an whole Court will not spare openly to slander him for an arrant varlet a lewd pestilent and a villanous fellow Such drivel will the malicious world spit in the face of Godlinesse But mark now the benefit and comfort of a good conscience Either a good conscience with Stephens Angelicall face will dazle and shame the devils Oratours 1 Pet. 3. 16. Having a good conscience that they may be ashamed or else like Paul it can shake off those vipers without swelling or falling downe dead Yea if Satans orators will needs be opening their mouthes against Paul yet so good is his conscience that as Iohn Hus appealed from Pope Alexander to Pope Alexander namely from him in his anger to him in his cold blood and better advised so dares Paul appeale from Tertullus to Tertullus David from Shimei to Shimei from enemies to enemies from their tongues to their hearts from their mouthes to their Consciences as knowing their owne integritie to bee such as that their enemies owne hearts give their tongues the ly and tels them that against their Conscienses possessed with meere malice they are hurried on in Satans service Tertullus knowes he lyes and his owne Conscience tells him hee lyes in his throate that Paul is an honester man that himselfe yea and the comfort is that Pauls Conscience comforts him and assures him that Tertullus his Conscience assures him all this So unspeakably sweet is the comfort of a good conscience David complaines of a great affliction Psal 35. 11. False witnesse did rise up they layd to my charge things that I knew not What should a man do in such a case if he had not the comfort of a good conscience witnessing for him But now at such a pinch appeares the benefit of a good conscience Let ever so many rise up falsly to witnesse against him yet his conscience will witnesse as fast for him My friends scorne mee sayes Iob Iob 16. 20. They witnessed against him to be a wicked person and an hypocrite they censured and condemned him but what was Iobs comfort That same vers 19. Behold my witnesse is in heaven and my record is on high That was one comfort but that was not all hee had also a witnesse on earth and his record below Vpon whose record and witnesse see with what solemnitie and with what confidence he stands Iob 27. 2 6. As God liveth who hath taken away my judgement and the Almighty who hath vexed my soule All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrills my lips shall not speake wickednesse nor my tongue utter deceit God forbid that I should justifie you till I dye I will not remove mine integrity from me my righteousnesse I will hold fast and will not let it goe mine heart shall not reproach me so long as I live As if he had said As the Lord lives whilst Nam si in his in quibus me criminantur testimonium Conscientiae meae non stat contra me in conspectu Dei quo nullus oculus mortalis intenditur non solum contristari non debeo verumetiam exultare gaudere quia merces mea multa est in coelis Neque enim intuendum est quam sit amarum sed quam falsum sit quod audio quaÌ„ verax pro cujusnomine hoc audio Aug. contra lit Petil. l. 3. there is breath in my bodie I will not yield unto your accusations nor yet acknowledge my selfe guilty of that you doe charge mee withall Vrge mee and presse me what you will yet I will never let goe mine hold Why what is it that makes Iob thus stiffe and resolute what is it that supports him with such an excellent spirit that ver 6. Mine heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Indeed you reproach censure and condemne mee you lay heavie things to my charge But I have searched the records of my conscience I have called that unpartiall witnesse to testifie the truth and I find conscience witnessing strongly on my side and therefore do what you can you shall never beare mee downe Iobs friends may prove fickle and false but his own conscience will prove true to him that will plead for him animate him and comfort him against all their calumnious and injurious reproches and give him cause of much joy and triumph Iob then had his witnesse in heaven and Iob had his witnesse on earth God and his owne conscience two witnesses beyond all exception and in the mouth of two witnesses every truth shall stand Conscience is a thousand witnesses and God is above conscience And what Consciences witnesse concerning matter of fact God himselfe will justifie the same He that hath a good conscience hath a sure friend that will never slinke nor shrinke at any hand Nay he hath two good friends and two substantiall witnesses whose testimonies though secret yet are such as sweetly solace the heart of man against open reproaches slanders false witnesses and all wrongs and injuries of that kinde whatsoever The testimony of conscience is full of comfort because of the vndoubted certaintie and the vnquestioned infallibility thereof so that it voycing on a mans side strangely cheares his heart Pro. 27. 19. As in water face answers to face so doth the heart of a man unto man That is as some expound it As a man may see his face by looking in the water so a man may set himselfe and what hee is by looking into his conscience If a man should be told that hee had some filth or bloach on his In speculo Conscientiae status interioris hominis exterioris cognoseitur Non immorito Conscientiam speculo comparavit quoniam in eâ— tanquam speculo rationie oculus tam indecens quam quod decens in se â—st claro aspectu appredere potest Ber. de Consc face if he would goe looke into the water or specially into a looking-glasse hee should easily see whether it were so or no. And if looking into the water or glasse hee
hee haue no more to doe with Episcopal or Ministerial function And this Discipline of theirs wants not foundation in Scripture It seemes to be the same thing that God himselfe constituted Ezek 44. 12 13. Because they ministred vnto them before their Idols they shall beare their iniquitie and they shall not come neere vnto mee to doe the office of a Priest vnto me nor to come neere to any of mine holy things in the most holy place but they shall beare their shame and their abominations which they haue committed Vpon their Repentance they were receiued againe to some other places Ver. 10. 11. but they must meddle no more after that scandal of Idolatrie with the Priest-hood And this Discipline did Iosiah put in practise 2. King 23. 9. Some priuiledges vpon their Repentance were granted vnto the Priests of the high places that had defiled themselues with Idolatrie but the office of Priesthood they were quite excluded from it And this was the ancient Discipline against the giuers of offence and indeed such zeale and such seueritie it did concerne and euer will concerne the Church of God to shew to scandalous delinquents Facilitie and an ouer easie readinesse to comply with such breedes a fresh scandal to the world and giues them iust cause to n Et quoniam andâ—o Charissimifratres impudentia vos quorundaÌ„ premi verecundiam vestram vim pati oro vos quibus possum precibus vt euaÌ„gelij memores vos quoque sollicitè et cautè petentiuÌ„ desideria ponderetis vtpote amici domini cùm illo post modum indicaturi inspiciatis actuÌ„ opera merita singuloruÌ„ ipsorum quoque delictorum genera qualitates cogitetis ne si quid abrupte indignè vel à vobis promissum vel à nobis factuÌ„ fuerit apud Gentiles quoque ipsos ecclesia nosira erubescere incipiat Cypr. Epist 11. reproach the Church and opens the mouth of iniquitie to say you bee all such Whereas discommoning and discarding such from our familiar and priuate societie and when neede and power is from communion in holy things gaines the Church a great deale of honour and stops the mouth of iniquitie from calumniating Gods people to bee fauourers and countenancers of such persons Such will bee pressing in to gaine their credit and to recouer their respect but when such suddenly and easily get into credit it is no whit for the honour and credit of the Church God will bring woes vpon them in their outward state their peace their posteritie Elies sonnes runne into foule Scandals 1. Sam. 2. 22. It was scandalous for priuate persons much more for Priests to bee vncleane and adulterous It was scandalous to haue done so vnclean an act in any place but to doe it in a scared place with women comming thither vpon deuotion this was egregiously scandalous God therefore takes them to doe and does execution vpon them and cuts them both off in one day by the Sword of the Philistims God brought the wo of the Sword vpon them Nay when they ranne into Scandal because Eli did not restraine them see what God threatens vpon his Posteritie 1. Sam. 2. 36. that hee would plague them with such base beggerie and miserie that they should beg their bread If God thus punish him for not restraining how much more would he haue punished him for the committing of a Scandal If it goe thus hard with Eli that restraines not how hard will it goe with Hophni and Phinehas that commit the scandal Wee cannot haue a more pregnant and full example in this kinde then Dauid himselfe Hee after his scandal committed was truly penitent the guilt of his sinne pardoned a solemne absolution and discharge giuen him by the Prophet And yet for all this wee shall see how terribly this woe pursued him in temporall crosses in this kinde First God smites his childe with death then followes his daughter Thamars defilement by her brother Amnon then Amnons murder then the treason of Absalom in which the hand of God was exceeding smart God turnes him out of house and home Whose heart would not earne and bleede to see his dolefull departure from Ierusalem 2. Sam 15. 30. And Dauid went vp by the ascent of mount Oliuet and wept as he went vp and had his head couered and hee went barefoote and all the people that was with him couered euery man his head and they went vp weeping as they went vp Who could haue beheld so sad and so woefull a spectacle with drie eyes But this was not all his life is endangered his Concubines defiled in open view on the house top And what thinke wee was the ground of all this For the childs death we see 2. Sam. 12. 13 14. The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die howbeit because by this thy deede thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is borne vnto thee shall surely die It is verie much that fasting and praying can doe it can cast out deuils This kind goes not out but by fasting and praying Mark 9. 29. And yet fasting and praying could not keepe off this woe that Dauids scandal brings vpon him in the childes death woe vnto Dauid by whom that offence came therefore shall his childe die And for all the rest of all those wofull sorrowes 2. Sam. 12. 9. 10. 11. 12. we see the cause of them all these woes were vpon Dauid for his scandal And if Gods woe in these temporall outward calamities will thus pursue and follow a repeÌ„ting an humbled scandalous offender how much more will that hand of God pursue that man vpon whose scandal followes no Repentance and Humiliation If Dauid the man after Gods owne heart must not escape what then shall others looke for If a beloued Dauid shall haue his teeth on edge with his owne sowre grapes of his scandalous courses who then shall thinke to goe scotfree that is guilty of scandalous transgressions what a sure irresistible wo is that which Repentance it selfe cannot keepe off from a mans children his life person and goods And thus temporall woe is to him by whom offences come 2. God will pursue and pinch such as giue offence with spirituall woe God will fill such mens hearts specially if they belong to him with much spirituall woe and bitternesse of soule He will awaken conscience to smite pinch and gripe them at the heart He will so loade and burden their consciences that in the anguish and bitternes of their spirits they shal be forced to cry out woe is mee vile wretch that I was borne that euer I breathed thus to dishonour God It is true that there is an happinesse in this woe and it is singular mercy that men are not seared and hardened in their sinne but yet for all that there it a great deale of smart sorrow and a great deale of wofull bitternes in the worke
my choice of your Patronage of this Treatise It would have bin an incongruity to have had the name of a person of an evill Conscience prefixed before a booke of good Conscience I desired a Patron sutable to my subject I presume the very subject shall make the Treatise welcome to you Be you pleased to afford your acceptance as I will afford you my poore prayers that the Lord who hath already set upon your head the crowne of the Elders Prov. 17. 6. Childrens Children and one Crowne of glory here one earth Age found in the Prov. 16. 1. wayes of righteousnes would also in his due time give you that incorruptible crowne of righteousnes and eternall glory in the heavens which that righteous Judge shall give to you and to all those that in the wayes of a good Conscience waite for the blessed appearance of the Lord Iesus Your Worships in all Christian observance IER DYKE The Contents of this TREATISE The Text containes thee Maine Heads The first maine head Pauls Protestation of a good Conscience where five things are considered 1. What Conscience is 2. What a good Conscience is It is good with a twofold goodnesse 1. With the goodnesse of Integritie and this integrity is threefold 1. When being rightly principled by the VVord it sincerely judges and determines of good evill 2. VVhen it doth excuse for good and accuse for evill 3. VVhen it urges to good restraines from evil 2. VVith the goodnesse of Tranquillitie and Peace Here are three sorts of Conscience discovered not to be good viz. 1. The Ignorant Conscience 2. The Secure 3. The Seared 3. The means of getting keeping a good Conscience 1. To get and keepe the Conscience good peaceably or with the goodnesse of peace three things required 1. Faith in Christs blood 2. Repentance from dead workes 3. The conscionable exercise of Prayer 2. To get and keepe the Conscience good with the goodnesse of integrity and to have it uprightly good five things required viz. 1. VValking before God 2. Framing ones Course by the Rule of the VVord 3. Frequent examination of the Conscience 4. Hearkning to the voice of Conscience 5. In cases of questionable nature to take the surest and the safest side 4 The markes and notes of a good Conscience and they be seven 1. To make Conscience of all sinnes and duties 2. To make Conscience of small sinnes duties 3. To effect a Ministery that speakes to the Conscience 4. To doe duties and avoid sin for Conscience sake 5. Holy boldnesse 6. To suffer for Conscience 7. Constancie and Perseverance in Good 5. The Motives to a good Conscience and they are five 1. The incomparable comfort and benefit of it in all such times and cases as all other comforts faile a man and wherein a man stands most in need of comfort The Cases or times are five 1. The Time and case of Disgrace and Reproach 2. The Time of common feare cōmon calamity 3. The Time of sicknesse or other Crosses 4. The Time of Death 5. The Time and day of Iudgement 2. That a good Conseience is 1. A feast for 1. Contentment and satisfaction 2. Ioy and Mirth 3. Societie 2. Better than a feast for 1. The Cotinuance 2. Independency 3. Vniversalitie 3. Without a good Conscience all our best duties are nought 4. It is the Ship and Arke of Faith 5. The misery of an evil one 1. In this world in respect of 1. Feare 2. Perplexitie 3. Torment 2. in the world to come The second Maine Head Ananias his insolent injunction Whereout is observed 1 What is the respect a good Consciēce finds in the world 2. The impetuous injustice of the enemies of good consciēce 3. Who cōmonly be the bitteest enemies of good conscience 4. That Vsurpers are Smiters 5. What is a sad fore-runner of a Nations Ruine The third maine head Pauls Answere and Contestation Whereout is observed 1. That Christian patience muzzels not a good Conscience from pleading its owne Innocencie 2. The severitie of Gods Iudgements upon the Enemies and Smiters of good Conscience 3. The equity of Gods administration in his execution of Iustice GOOD CONSCIENCE ACTS 23. 1. And Paul earnestly beholding the Councell said Men and brethren I have lived in all good Conscience untill this day 2. And the high Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth 3. Then said Paul unto him God shall smite thee thou whited wall CHAP. I. The Introduction of the Discourse following THere is no complaint so generall as this that the world is naught His experience is short and slender which will not justifie the truth of this complaint And what think we may the Cause be of the generall wickednes of our Times Surely nothing makes Ill Times but Ill men and nothing makes Ill men but Ill consciences Ill Conscience is the source and fountaine Hominum sunt istae non Temporum Sonec ep 98. from whence comes all iniquities which makes times here so ill How well should hee deserve that could amend ill times There is a course if it would be taken that would do the deed and so cease the common complaint Elisha's course in healing the waters of Iericho must be taken They said of their waters as wee of our times The water is naught and the ground barren 2 King 2. 19. What course now takes Elisha for healing of the waters He went out unto the spring of the waters and cast the Salt in there ver 21. So the waters were healed ver 22. The spring and fountaine of all actions good or evill is the Conscience and all actions courses of men are as their Consciences Out of the heart are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23. the heart and Conscience is the fountaine every action of a mans life is an Issue a little rivelet and a water passage thence Are these waters then that issue thence Naught The way to heale them Nō erit fructus bonus nisi arboris bonae Mutacor mutabitur opus Aug. de ver Dom. Serm. 12. is to cast the Salt into the spring Mend the Conscience and all is mended Good Consciences would make Good men and Good men would make Good Times Lo here a project for the reformation of evil times Were this Project set on foot and a good Conscience set up how should we see prophanation of Gods holy Name and Day Injustice Bribery Oppression Deceit Adulteries and Whoredomes and all other Iniquities how should wee see all these as our Savior saw Satan falling downe like lightning from heaven How should we see them come tumbling downe like so many Dagons before Gods Arke yea tumbled downe and broken to the stumps The onely Arke that must dash and ding downe these Dagons is a good Conscience And if we would well weigh the matter what is there equally desirable with a Ecce quid prodest plena bonisarca cum sit inanis
this Rule Men must then walke by rule and the Word must be this rule Ps 30. 23. To him that orders his conversation all Christians must be regulars and must live orderly But what is that Rule by which their conversation must be ordered That same Ps 119. 133. Order my steps in thy Word Hee that orders his course by that rule which is the rule of conscience shall be sure to keepe and get a good conscience Hee that will make good worke will work by his rule wheras hee that workes by guesse must needs make but ill worke Whatsoever is not of faith is Sin Rom. 14. 23. That is whatsoever a man doth and hath not warrant for it out of and from the rule of the Word makes a mans conscience in that particular to be evill And therefore v. 5. Let a man be fully perswaded in his owne mind How happy should men be in getting and keeping good consciences if they would lay their lives actions to the Rule The want of this is it that makes men men of so ill consciences Some live by no Rule some by false Rules hence come mens consciences to be so Anomalous Some live by no Rule but doe whatsoever seemes good in their owne eyes goe as their lusts lead them and follow his beck that rules in the Ayre This is also to walk rashly Lev. 26. He that doth things without rule goes rashly to worke Hee that walkes irregularly walkes rashly and no marvell if men have crooked wayes and crooked consciences when they will not live by Rule Some againe live by false Rules and that not onely Popish fictitious Regulars that live by superstitious Rules of their Dominick Francis c. But amongst our selves many have a Rule they doe live by but that Rule is not the Word but some false Rules of their owne devising Such as are these Great mens practice or some learned Inter causas maloruÌ„ nostrorum est quod vivimus ad exeÌ„pla nec ratione coÌ„ponimur sed coÌ„suetudine Quod si pauci facerent nollemus imitari cum plures facere coeperunt quasi honestius sit quia frequentius sequimur recti apud nos locum tenet error ubi publicus factus est Sen. Ep. 124. mans opinion the custome of times and places wherein they live the example of the multitude or some secret blind and self-conceived principles which they keepe to themselves and by which they live All which being crooked Rules must needs make crooked Consciences wheras if men would live by Davids Rule Ps 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and in every action would have an eye and a respect unto the Commandements as he had Psal 119. 6. then should they make straight paths for their feet Heb. 12. 13. and keepe upright Consciences in every spirituall action therefore have an eye to the Word question it whether it be justifiable and warrantable by the Word or no and meddle no further than that will authorize and beare thee out If this course were taken such a good course would make and keep a good Conscience And why should not men be willing to take this course why will we not make that Word our Rule which must be made our Iudge The word which I speak shall judge you in the last day Ioh. 12. 48. The Word shall judge our consciences therfore let it rule and order them And if it have the ruling of our consciences it will make them good consciences and when they are good they need not feare what Iudge they come before nor what judgement they undergoe In summe if we would have good consciences we must make more conscience than is commonly made of reading and searching the Scriptures The ignorance and neglect of this duty is it which banes so many consciences in the world Integritatis tuae curiosus explorator vitam tuam in quotidiana discussione examina Attende diligenter quaÌ„tum proâ—icias vel quantum deficias qualis sis in moribus qualis sis in affectibus quam similiâ— sis Deo vel quam disimilis qua prope vel quam longe c. Redde ergo te tibi si non semper vel saepe aâ— saltem interdum Bern. med de vot cap. 5. 3. Keep a daily and a frequent Audit with thy conscience often examination of the conscience conduces much to the goodnes of it The Prophet complains of his people Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel Ier. 8. 6. Here were men far from a good conscience but what was the reason of it He gives it in the former words No man repenteth him of his wickednesse saying what have I done There was no examination of their consciences and courses what they were nor how they were and from hence comes this mischiefe This was Davids course Psa 119. 51. I considered my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies When a mans feet are in the wayes of Gods testimonies then hee walkes with an upright conscience and marke how David came to doe so I considered my wayes he used to examine his Conscience The first step to get a good conscience is for a man to know that his conscience before reformation is evill How shall that be knowne without a search When a search hath discovered what it is that makes the conscience and course evill then will Conscience be ready to labour a man to the reformation of that which is amisse and will not cease to urge and ply a man till it be done Frequent examination as it helps to the making of Scholars so to the making of Consciences good Hence mens lying in so grosse neglects of good duties in so many great evils because men and their consciences never reckon Men take not themselves aside into their closets and chambers and there set not up a privie Sessions to make inquiry into their own hearts and wayes and therefore are their wayes and consciences so much out of order Many a man thinks his estate in the world to be very good and thinkes hee growes rich and wealthy when his estate indeed is weak and growes every day worse than other Now what is it that causes so great a mistake Nothing but this that hee never lookes over his bookes nor casts over his reckonings If he had done this he should have seene that his estate was not answerable to his conceit and the knowledge of his misconceit would have made him have lived at a more wary and thrifty rate and have kept himselfe within such a compasse as might have kept up his estate whereas now the not examining his books puts him into a conceit of wealth and this conceit beggers and undoes him It fares no better with too many in their Consciences Laodicea thought well of her selfe Thou sayest I am rich If she had examined her conscience she should have seene that which Christ saw that she was poore blind
Propter incertitudinem propriae Iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere Bellar. de Iustific lib. 5. cap. 7. merit comes to this at last That by reason of the uncertainty of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine-glory it is the most safe way to repose our whole confidence in the mercie and goodnesse of God alone Which way soever Bellarmine is gone himselfe or any of his religion I thinke common reason will teach a man so much wisdome to go the safest way to heaven and that the safest way is the best way The Lord that would have us make our calling and election sure 2 Peter 1. 10. would not have us put so great a matter as the salvation of our soules upon Bellarmines hazard and confessed uncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse Now as in case of doctrine so in case of practise it is great wisedome and a great meanes of keeping a good conscience to doe that wherein we may Tutioris vivere and to take to that which Tutissimum est to follow that which is safest and to take to that side which is the surest and the freest from danger CHAP. VII Two markes if a good Conscience THus wee see how a good conscience may be had it followes we consider how it may be knowne and be discerned to be had The markes and notes by which a good conscience may bee knowne are seven 1. This in the Text. In all good conscience 1. Note of good conscience Conscience in all things It is a good note of a good conscience when a man makes conscience of all things all duties and all Sins There be that have naturall consciences principled by some generall grounds of nature and it may bee so farre as these rules carry them may make some conscience but their principles comming short they must needs also come as short of a good conscience I have lived saies Paul here in all good conscience and Heb. 13. 18. Wee trust wee have a good Conscience in all things It is a good conscience when a mans life all his life is a life of conscience when in all his life and the whole tenour thereof he makes conscience of all that God commands and forbids Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed what breeds shame but evill conscience when I have respect unto all thy Commandements When all are respected there is no shame because where all are respected there is good conscience and where good conscience is there is no shame That argued Davids good conscience Psal 119. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evill way Try mens consciences by this and it will discover a great deale of evill conscience in the world Many a morall man makes conscience of doing his neighbour the least wrong hee will not wrong or pinch any man payes every man his owne deales fairly and squarely in his commerce there is no man can say blacke is his eye you shall have him thank God that he hath as good a conscience as the best These are good things and such things as men ought to make conscience of but yet here is not enough to make a good conscience A good conscience must be all good conscience or it is no good conscience Now indeed these men may have good consciences before men but my Text tels us that we must live in all good conscience before God And Paul joines them two together Act. 24. 13. And herein I doe exercise my selfe to have a good conscience voyd of offence towards God and towards men Now be it that these have good conscience before men yet what have they before God Alas they are miserably ignorant in the things of God no consciences to acquaint themselves with his truth no conscience of prayer in their families of reading the Scriptures no conscience of an oath and as little of the Sabbath and the private duties thereof How far are these from good conscience Others againe seeme to make conscience of their duties before God but in the meane time no conscience of duties of Justice in the second Table make no conscience of oppression racking rents covetousnesse over-reaching c. these are no better consciences then the former neither are good because they live not in all good conscience Thus may ◠man discover the naughty consciences of most Iehu seemes wondrous zealous for the Lord and seemes to be a man of a singular good conscience in the demolishing the Tēple of Baal putting to death his Priests I but if Iehu make conscience of letting Baals Tēple stand why doth he not as well make conscience of letting Ieroboams Calves stand If Iehu had had a good conscience hee would as ill have brookt Ieroboams as Iezebels Idolatry he would have purged the land of all Idols Herod seemes to make some conscience of an Oath Marke 6. 26. For his Oaths sake hee would not reject her It is joy of him that hee is a man of so good conscience I but in the meane time why makes hee no conscience of incest and murther Hee feares and makes conscience to breake an unlawfull Oath but makes no conscience to cut an holy Prophets throate Who would not have thought Saul to have beene a man of a very good conscience see how like a man of good conscience hee speakes 1 Sam. 14. 34. Sinne not against the Lord in eating with the blood Hee would have the people make conscience of eating with the blood and indeed it was a thing to be made conscience of I but he that makes conscience of eating the flesh of Sheepe and Oxen with the blood like a bloody hearted tyrāt as he was he makes no conscience of sucking and shedding the blood of fourescore and five of Gods Priests Iust the conscience of his blood-hound Doeg 1 Sam 21. 7. Doeg was there that day deteined before the Lord. How deteined either out of a religious conscience of the Sabbath or by occasion of a vow the man made conscience of going before the Sabbath were ended or the dayes of his vow finisht A thing indeed to be made conscience of men ought not to depart from Gods house till holy services bee finisht a duety that even the Prince must make conscience of Ezek. 46. 10. Who therefore would not judge this Edomite a conscionable Proselyte I but why then makes hee no conscience of Lying Psalm 25. Why no conscience of being instrumentall to Sauls injustice in that barbarous villany of slaying not onely innocent men but innocent Priests of the Lord such were the Consciences of the Chiefe Priests Matth. 27. 6. How like honest conscionable men they speake It is not lawfull for to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood Sure it is great conscience ought to bee made of bringing the price of blood into the Temple treasurie Are they not then men of good conscience It is not lawfull
will yet if they slight the word or swel at it or be disobedient to it when it is laid to their Conscience Paul makes it a manifest signe of a defiled conscience Tit. 1. 15 16. Their mind and their conscience is defiled How appeares that They professe they know God but they are disobedient When therfore the Ministry of the Word shall charge thee with dutie or reproove thee for sinne and then thou shalt charge the Minister with railing and girding and that this Sermon was made for the nonce for thee thou likest not that Ministers should be so particular c. In Gods feare bee advised to looke to thy Conscience and know it that thou hast a naughtie conscience when the Ministry of the Word smites thy conscience then for thee to smite the Minister with reproachfull and disgracefull tearmes to smite him with thy mouth How is thy conscience better then Ananias his that commands to smite Paul on the mouth he that cannot brooke that Gods Ministers should not discharge a good conscience in preaching to the conscience be bold to challenge that man for a man of an evill conscience 4. That is a fourth note of a good conscience 4 Note of a good conscience To doe duty for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. ye must be subject for conscience sake To doe good or abstaine from evill meerly for conscience sake is a note of a right good conscience indeed Conscience as we saw before doth excite and stirre up and bind to the doing of good and bind from the doing of evill Now when the conscience upon just information from the Word shall presse and forbid and then a man shall because conscience forbids forbeare or because it presses performe obedience thus to doe good or not to doe evill for conscience sake is a note of a good conscience It evidences a good conscience when the maine weight that sets the wheeles on worke is conscience of Gods coÌ„mandement When it is that Ps 119. 4. that sets a man on work Thou hast coÌ„manded us to keep thy precepts diligently The end of the commandement is love 1 Tim. 1. 5. and love is the fulfilling of the commandement Rom. 12. But what love From a pure heart and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. When conscience of the commandement carries a man to the fulfilling of the end of it then doth such love come froÌ„ a good conscience Salomons description of a good man Eccl. 9. 2. is that he fears an oath He saies not that swears not but that feares an oath For a man not to sweare may be the fruit of good education and of the awe a man hath stood in of his Governours but to feare an oath argues that a man feares the commandement Prov. 13. 13. and to feare the commandement is the note of a good conscience Here let mens consciences be tried Thou prayest in thy family hearest the Word keepest the Sabbath c. Now search thine heart and make inquirie what it is that carrieth thee to these duties Doest thou do them for conscience sake Doest thou find conscience to urge and presse thee and to give satisfaction of the conscience and obedience to the injunctions thereof Are these things done If so it is a signe of a good conscience But this discovers the naughtinesse of mens consciences who though they be sound in some good duties or in the avoyding of some evils yet is it not conscience that workes them thereto Yee must be subject not onely for wrath that is for feare of the Magistrates wrath and revenge but for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. It is no good conscience when a man will be subject for his skins sake and lest hee smart by the Magistrates sword but then a mans conscience is good when in obedience to Gods Word and in conscience of his commandement he subjects The like may be said of all by-ends Ye must doe good duties not for profit not for credit not for vaine-glory not for â—aw but for conscience sake or else evill consciences ye have in that ye doe The Shechemites receive circumcision Gen. â—4 And is not circumcision Gods Ordinance And is it not joy of them that they will joyne to the Church and professe the true Religion Yes surely if it were done for conscience I but it is not done for conscience sake Alas no such matter but for Hamors sake the Lord of the Towne and for Shechems sake their young Master and for the hope of gaines sake Shall not their cattell and their substance and every beasts of theirs be ours Gen. 34. 23. For the oxen sake and not for conscience sake are the Shechemites circumcised Shechem for Dinahs sake receives the Sacrament Oh the zeale and forwardnesse that some will professe on a sudden What frequenters of holy exercises But what is it for conscience sake No such matter but Shechem is in hope of a match with Dinah and all these showes of Religion are neither for Gods sake nor conscience sake but all for Dinahs sake all under hope of preferment by a rich marriage They were goodly shewes of zeale Ioh. 6. 22. 24. in seeking and following after Christ but it was neither for Christ nor conscience sake but ver 26. for the loaves and the bread and their bellies sake Many of the heathens Esth 8. 17. turned Iewes Was there not joy of such Proselytes not a whit for not the fear of God but the feare of the Iewes fell upon them as many frequent the publicke assemblies more for feare of the statute then for fear of the commandement The officers of the King helped the Iewes Esther 9. 3. Was it for conscience sake Nothing lesse but for wrath sake and for feare because the feare of Mordecai fell upon them If the Pharises had done all that Mat. 6. for conscience sake which they did for vaine-glory sake they had had the glory of good consciences Many preached the Gospel in Pauls daies Phil. 1. Does not so good a worke argue a good conscience Yes if it had beene done for conscience sake but that was done for contention sake not to adde soules to the Church but to adde sorrowes to Pauls afflictions It is a note of a good conscience when that which we doe is done with a respect unto the commandement of God Psal 119. 6. and not with a squint respect unto our owne private for praise or profit It Vtrine majores heretici illine qui pictas ligneas an qui aureas argenteas imagines è templis exigerent ad conflandam monetam igne adurerent Dubro hist Bohe. l. 24. was a good argument of those Bohemians good consciences in plucking downe Images that they beate downe onely painted and wooden Images whilst Sigismund the Emperour pulled downe silver and golden ones to melt into money for pay of his Souldiers as they plead for themselves when they were held Heretikes for their fact If they had pulled downe such Images as
yet all could not make them shake hands with a good coÌ„science The raine floods and winds could not bring downe the house founded upon the rocke Mat. 7. Notwithstanding all trials a good conscience stands to it and holds it owne and speakes as once Father Rawlins did the Bishop Rawlins you left mee Acts and Mon. Rawlins you find me and Rawlins by Gods grace I will continue Try yet a good conscience farther with the tentations on the right hand which commonly have as much more strength in them above the other as the right hand hath above the left and yet we shall find the right hand too weake to plucke a good conscience out of its station It was a sore tentation wherwith Moses was assaulted The treasures and pleasures the honors favors of the Aegyptian Court Princesse All these wooe him not to goe the people of God Had that people been setled and at rest in Canaan yet had it beene a great tentation to prefer Aegypt before Canaan But the people are in Aegypt in affliction in bondage therfore so much the more strength in the tentation What will you be so mad to leave all for nothing certaine honours for certaine afflictions who can tell but you may be raised to this greatnesse to be an instrument of good to your people You by your favour in the Court may bee meanes to ease them of their bondage and so you may doe the Church service with your greatnesse c. Here was a tentation on the right hand and with the right hands strength Well and how speeds it Is Moses able to withstand it See Heb. 11. 24 25 26. He refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter c. All would not doe nor stir him a whit Those faithfull Worthies before mentioned could not be stirred with all the cruelties their adversaries could invent I but it may be a tentation on the right hand might have made them draw away the right hand of fellowship from a good conscience Well their enemies therefore will try what good they can do that wayes Heb. 12. 37. They were tempted that is on the right hand they were sollicited and inticed and allured with faire promises of honours favours preferments as Bonner used to deale with the Martyrs hee had sometimes butter and oyle as well as fire and faggot in his mouth Thus were they tempted but yet what availed these tentations Iust as much as their stones sawes swords prisons all a like They for all these tentations keepe a good conscience to their dying day and hold fast the faith and truth unto the end A good conscience is of the mind of those trees in Iothams parable Iudg. 9. It will not with the Olive lose its fatnesse nor with the Fig-tree lose its sweetnesse nor with the vine its wine of cheerfulnes to have the fattest and sweetest preferments and pleasures of the world no though it were to raigne over the trees It was an excellent resolution of Benevolus Benevolo Iustina praecepit ut adversus fidem patrum imperialia decreta dictaret Illo vero se impia verba prolaturum abnuente celsiorem honoris gradum spopondit si maÌ„data perficeret cui Benevolus Quid mihi pro impietatis mercede altiorem promittis gradum hunc ipsum quem habeo auferte dunt inâ—gram fidei conscientiam tuear Ac protonus cingulum ante pedes ejus abjecit Sâ—gon de occid Imp. l. 1. pag. 200. in his answer to Iustina the Arrian Empresse profering preferments to him to have beene instrumentall in a service which could not be done with a good conscience What doe ye promising mee an higher degree of preferment for a reward of impiety yea even take this from me which already I have so that I may keepe a good conscience And so forthwith hee threw at his feet his girdle the ensigne of his honour Thus doth a good conscience throw and trample honour and preferment under foot to maintaine its owne integritie Thus can nothing corrupt a good conscience I have beene young and now am old and yet never saw I the righteous forsaken to wit of God Psalm 37. David out of his experience could have said as much in this point I have beene young and now am old yet never saw I God and godlinesse forsaken by the righteous by the man that had a good conscience But the man that had a good conscience when hee was young will hold out and have it when he is old It is the great honour and grace of a good Conscience which Walden thinks he spake to the disgrace of Wickliffe Ita ut cano placeret quod inveni complacebat He was young and old one and the same man Old age decayes the body the strength the senses but conscience it touches not that holds out sound to death As of Christ in another sense Heb. 13. So may it be said of a good conscience in this Yesterday and to day and the same for ever A good conscience is no changeling but let a mans estate change from rich to poore from poore to rich or let the times change from good to evill or from evill to worse or a mans dayes change from young to old let his haires and head change yet among all these changes a good coÌ„science wil not change but hold it owne untill its last day Now put mens consciences upon this triall their inconstancie either in good causes or courses will discover their naughtines In a good cause how many are like Darius his coÌ„scieÌ„ce struggles a great while for Daniel he knew he was innoceÌ„t he knows the action to be unjust and therfore labours all day till the setting of the Sun for his deliverance Dan. 6. 14. but yet overcome with the Presidents Princes urgencie ver 16. he coÌ„mands him to the Lions den Here was a natural conscience standing for equity and justice but yet no good conscience it holds but till Sun set and his conscience went downe with the Sun His coÌ„science yields is overcome though it know the act to be unjust Pilats conscience makes him plead for Christ In his conscience he acquits him and thrice solemnly professes that hee finds no fault in him and therefore cannot in conscience condemne him yea withall seekes to release him Iohn 19. 12. Is not here now a good conscience Indeed it had beene so in this particular fact if his conscience had beene inflexible and had held out But when Pilate heares them say that if he be his friend he is no friend to Caesar Iohn 19 12. and whilest withall hee is willing to content the people Marke 15. 15. Now that there is feare on the one side and desire to curry favour on the other where now is his conscience Now hee presently delivers him to be crucified though he knowes in his conscience that there is no fault in him What a good conscience hath many a Iudge and Lawyer How stiffely will they stand
The Motives to perswade us to get good consciences The Motives therunto may be many I will keepe my selfe within the compasse of five 1. Motive The incomparable and unspeakable 1. Motive to a good conscience comfort and benefit thereof in such cases and times as all other comforts faile a man and wherin a man stands most in need of comfort These cases or times are five 1. The Time and Case of Disgrace and Reproach 2. The Time of Common feare and Common calamitie 3. The Time of Sicknes or outward crosses in a mans goods 4. The Time of Death 5. The Time and Day of Iudgement In all these or in any of these times it is good to have such a friend or companion that will sticke to a man and be faithfull Interim elige socium qui cum omnia subtracta fuerint fidem servat dilectoribus suis nec recedit in tēpore angustiae Bern. de Consc to him when all other things faile him Such a friend and such a companion is a good conscience A friend loves at all times and a brother is borne for adversitie Proverb 17. 17. But in some of these cases a brother and friend may be false and will not or may be weake and cannot helpe nor pleasure a man but a good conscience is better then all friends and brethren whatsoever when they will not or cannot or may not yet then will a good conscience sticke close to a man and be a sure friend to him Let us see in the particulars the truth of it 1. In the time and case of Disgrace Infamie Reproach and wrongs of that The comfort of a good conscience in case of disgrace and reproach kinde the comfort and benefit of a good conscience is unspeakeable When a man shall be traduced slandered falsely accused and condemned then in such wrongs will a good conscience doe the office of a faithfull friend will sticke to and stand by a man and will comfort and hearten him against all such injuries Paul is heere convented before the Councell as a Malefactor hee hath an whole Councell bent against him What now is his comfort and his defence against such an heape of accusers as doe affront him This it is Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience As if hee had said Impeach traduce accuse and condemne mee as you please yet be it knowne unto you that I have a good conscience and this my good conscience is it which shall comfort and uphold me against all your injurious and unequall proceedings You may bring forth false witnesses against me but my conscience doth and will witnesse for me you may condemne me yet my conscience acquits and absolves me And thus doth Paul shelter himselfe under his good conscience The like we may see in the next Chapter Ananias and the Elders come and bring Tertullus and he is feed to be Pauls accuser and he layes heavie and hainous things to Pauls charge vers 5. Wee have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Iews throughout the world a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens c. Here be foule things what will Paul be able to say to all this Will not this bee enough to sinke him downe utterly to see so many banded together and such great ones combined to countenance such an accusation How will he be able to subsist Now then behold the benefit and comfort of a good conscience He holds up his former buckler and smites Ananias and the rest with his former weapon vers 16. Herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwaies a conscience voyd of offence towards God and towards men Ananias and the Elders have a mercenary Tertullus to accuse him Paul hath no man dares be seene to plead for him none will be retained in his cause but yet now conscience steps out and stops the foule mouth of this slanderous Oratour and puts spirit and heart into Paul to plead his own Cause against them all Conscience seemes on this manner to animate him Feare not Paul the accusations of this Tertullus I witnesse for thee thine Innocencie I justifie it to the teeth of Tertullus that he is one whose malice and covetousnesse hath made him set his conscience to sale stand up therefore and speake boldly for thy selfe dread them not Well fare a good conscience yet that will speake comfort to Paul and make Paul speake with courage when none else dare be seene in his cause It was an ill case David was in Psalm 69. 20. 21. Reproach hath broken mine heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to take pitty but there was none and for comforters but I found none they gave me also gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave mee vineger to drinke A very hard case indeed Where was now Davids familiar friend his acquaintance with whom hee was wont to take sweet counsell what was become of him now Possibly some of his acquaintance were at this time like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Prov. 25. 19. Confidence in an unfaithfull man is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt Others it may be that had profest him loue were ready to fasten a poysoned tooth in him This was Davids case and this may be any mans case but now at such a time and in such a pinch appeares the excellency and benefit of a good Gonscience Though all a mans friends should prove Iobs friends like the Winter brooks of Teman that in winter overswell the bankes but in the scorching heat of Sommer prove drie ditches yet then even then well fare a good conscience That will heale Davids heart broken with reproach that will cheere him up in his heavinesse that will sweeten the gall and take away the sharpenes of the vineger which his enemies have given him to drinke There is a generation Prov. 30. 14. whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth as knives and Pro. 12. 18. that generation speakes as the piercing of a sword There is a generation whose words are woūds that go down into the innermost parts of the belly Pro. 18. 8. These be dangerous generations But what generation are they Generations of vipers Psal 140. 3. Adders poyson is under their lips Iunius translates it Venenum ptyados The poison of the spitting Serpent They be then generations of spitting serpents even of fiery serpents that have their tongues set on fire from hell and so they spit fiery poyson in the faces of Innocents Now there is no man can live in this world at whom these adders will not spit no man can be free from the sprinckling of their poyson The disciple is not above the master If these snakes have hissed at the Lord of the house and if these spitting Serpents have cast their poison in his face why would they feare to do it to the servants But is there then no balme against
and so fearefull for nothing Phil. 4. 6. To bee fearefull in nothing is indeed an excellent happinesse of a well composed minde How might one attaine thereto How might a man bring his heart to that fixed and stablisht temper See vers 7. The Peace of God that passes all understanding shall guard your hearts and mindes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall keepe with a guard as Kings have their guards about them to save their persons from violence shall guard your hearts that is your affections that they run not into extremities of impatience distraction desparation when feares and terrours shall come yee shall not be transported with such distracting thoughts as shall deprive you of the freedom of your minds but that you shall have them to attend upon God in the greatest of your dangers So that a man with a good conscience in the middst of all feares and combustions can sing with David Psal 116. 7. Returne unto thy rest O my soule The peace of a good conscience is like the ballast of a Ship Let a Ship goe to Sea without ballast in the bottome and every blast of wind is ready to overturne it but being wel ballasted though the winds blow strong yet it sayles steddily and safely Every blast of ill newes and tidings of feare how full of terrible apprehensions it fils an ill conscience it miserably unsettles and distracts it whilst a good conscience what blasts soever blow hath its heart steddy and at good command Mee thinkes when I consider Noah in his Cabbine or nest in the Arke with what security and quiet of heart hee sits there notwithstanding the clattering of the raines upon the Arke the roaring of the waters and the hideous howling and out-cryes of those that were drown'd in the flood I see the Embleme of a good conscience Tubalcain Lamech Iabal Iubal with what horrid perplexities are their soules distraught Some climbe up this house top some this high tree others flee to some high mountaine and there in what horror and amazement are they whilst one sees his Children sprawling another his wife strugling for life upon the face of the mercilesse waters but especially whilst they behold the waters rising by little and little and pursuing them to the house tops and threatning to sweepe them off from the heads of the Mountaines to which they had betaken themselves These feares and amazements were worse then an hundreth deathes But now all this while how is it with Noah hee sits dry in his cabbin and litterally was the saying of the Psalme verified of him Surely in the floods of great waters they came not nigh unto him Ps 32. 6. He hath his Ark pitcht within and pitcht without neither can the raines from above beat in nor the waters from beneath leake in let all fountaines of the great deepe be broken up and the flood-gates of heaven be opened yet not one drop of water comes at him and though the waters prevayle fifteene Cubits above the high hils and mountaines so that they bee covered yet Noah hee is out of all feare let them rise as high as they will yet shall hee keepe above them still Iust such is the condition and happinesse of a man with a good conscience in sad times Whilest the high hils and mountaines are covered the great and brave spirits of the world are overwhelmed with feare are possest with dreadfull apprehensions so as they know not which way to looke nor which way to take even then a man with a good conscience hath a strange quiet of heart is full of sweet security and resolution and amids all the shrikes howlings and wringing of hands of earthly men by patience possesses his soule is master of himselfe and composes his soule to rest His Arke is pitcht within and without The peace of God and the peace of a good conscience keepes the water-floods from comming into his soule The raine and the waves they beat upon the Arke but yet they pierced it not A man with a good conscience may fall into and may be swept away with common calamites yet how ever it fare with his outward man yet his soule is free from that horrour and those madding perplexities wherewithall wicked ones are overtaken The peace of a good conscience shall keepe off these distracting feares from his minde Though he cannot be free happily from the common destructions yet shall be free from the common distractions of the world There be two things in common calamities The sword without and terror within Deut. 32. 25. and the latter of the two is the worse by far Now here is the benefit of a good conscience though it doth not save alwaies from the sword without yet it delivers alwaies from the terror within which gives a terrible edge to the sword and which being removed the sword is nothing so terrible When the Canaanites were destroyed by Israel there was a double sorrow and smart upon them The sword of the Israelite and Gods Hornet Iosh 24. 12. What was that Hornet Nothing else but that distracting and perplexing feare and terrour wherewith God filled their hearts as appeares Exod. 23. 27 28. There is no Hornet can so vex with his sting as these terrors vex evill consciences in evill dayes Now here is the priviledge of good consciences though they may smart with the sword yet the Hornet shal not sting them nor fill their hearts with that throbbing anguish that these terrors in times of calamitie put evill consciences to A sweet motive to make any in love with a good conscience Whilest we look upon the evills of the times wee cannot but looke for euill times Looke we upon our sinnes and Gods administration abroad upon the malice and policies of the adversaries of Gods grace and what doe these but prognosticate heavy things Now suppose a flood should come would we not be glad of an arke and such a cabbin therein as should keepe out the waters from our soules Get then the pitch of a good Conscience and thou shalt fit like Noah if not free from the waters yet free from the feares of Lamech and Tubal-cain which are worse than the waters For the feares of such evills are more bitter and insufferable than the evils themselves Suppose I say a flood should come who would not give a kingdome for an Arke well pitcht Suppose calamitie should come who would not give a world for a good Conscience then Iabel Gen. 4. 20. he is busie in building of tents and he is among his flockes and cattell and Iubal Genes 4. 21. hee is wholly upon his merry pins as his Harpe and Organs He and his take the Timbrel and the Harpe and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ Iob 21. 12. And these jolly joviall lads give poore Noah many a drie flout many a scornfull scoffe whilest hee is building his Arke and aske what this brainsicke mad fellow meanes to make such a vessell whether he meant to sayle on the
to the defiled their conscience is defiled and that being defiled it defiles all it meddles with as under the Law the Leaper defiled all he touched The best meat disht and dressed with defiled and dirty hands is loathsome to us The honest works of a mans calling are good workes in themselves but no good workes to him that doth them without a good conscience Pro. 21. 4. An high look and a proud heart and the plowing of the wicked is Sin The calling of Husbandry is counted the most honest calling of all others yet where a good cōsciēce is wanting a mans very plowing is Sin Come to holy duties of Religion and Gods service and how is it with a man wanting a good conscience in them That curse of Davids Psal 109. 8. Let his prayer be turned into Sin lies upon the services of all evill consciences See Pro. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked that is of him that hath an evill conscience is an abomination but the prayer of the upright that is of a man that hath a good and upright conscience is his delight Observe the opposition Hee sayes not the prayer of the wicked and the prayer of the upright nor the sacrifice of the wicked and the sacrifice of the upright but the sacrifice of the wicked and the prayer of the upright A sacrifice had prayer with it but yet it was more sumptuous more solemn then single prayer Now who would not thinke but such cost should make a man welcom yet the single prayer of the upright is accepted whilst his sacrifice is an abomination yea and that a vile abomination Is 66. 3. A man of evill conscience delighting in his abominations makes his holiest services such Let such an one come to the Sacraments and how will it be with him there even as in the former To the impure even the pure Sacraments are impure Simon◠Magus rather defiles the waters of Baptisme then they clense him and it is not carnall baptisme that availes any thing without the answer and stipulation of a good conscience 1 Pet. 3. 21. And for the Sacrament of the Supper whether doth it profit an uncleane conscience or such a conscience pollute it It may be judged by a like case resolved Hag. 2. 11 14. The uncleane person by a dead body touching the Bread or Wine or Oyle makes these to be uncleane The ceremoniall uncleannesse by the touch of a dead body typified the morall uncleannes of an evill conscience unpurged from dead works God looks specially at the cōscience in all our services and if hee finds that foule and filthy he throws the dung of mens sacrifices in their faces that come with the dung of their filthy consciences before his face See therefore how Paul serves God 2 Tim. 1. 3. Whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience It is an impure service that is not performed with a pure conscience as sleight as the world make of puritie How much more shal the blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead workes Heb. 9. 14. But to what end are they purged To serve the living God Therfore marke that till the conscience be purged and made good there is no serving of God So Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neere that is in prayer and the like duties But how Having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience Otherwise it is but a folly for us to draw neere for God will not be neere when a good conscience is far off And therfore we are bid to purifie our hearts when wee are bid draw nigh to God Iam. 4. 8. Behold here then a speciall motive to make a good conscience beautifull in our eye As we would be loath our services of God our prayers and holy performances should be abominable in Gods eye so labour for good consciences As we would have cōfort in alour duties of obedience so labor to make our conscience good It is a great deale of confidence that silly ignorant ones have in their good prayers their good serving of God as they call it yea it is all the ground of their hope of salvation when they are demanded an account of their hope now alas your good prayers and your good serving of God! why what do you talking of these things Hath Christ purged your consciences from dead workes Have you by faith got your consciences sprinkled and rinced in Christs blood and so have ye made them good If not never talke of good prayers and good serving of God your prayers cannot be good whilst your consciences are naught An evill conscience before God and a good service to God cannot stand together But would you have your prayers good indeed and your service acceptable indeed then let your first care be to make your conscience good Fourthly let this worke with us as a The fourth motive to a good conscience maine motive to a good conscience That it is the Ship and the Arke wherein the faith is perserved The faith is a rich commoditie a precious fraught and a good conscience is the bottome and the vessell wherein it is caried So long as the ship is safe and good so long the goods therin are safe but if the ship split upon the Rocks or have but a leake therein then are all the goods therein in danger of being lost and cast away So long as a man keeps a good conscience there is no feare of losing the faith the integrity and soundnes of the doctrin therof Constancie in the truth is a fruit of good conscience Psalm 119. 54 55. I have kept thy Law he had not declined from nor forsaken the truth of God but what held and kept him This I had because I kept thy precepts Keeping of a good conscience will keepe a man in the truth It is that which is the holy preservative to save from all errors heresies false doctrins The better conscience the sounder judgment the sounder heart the sounder head As the better digestion in the stomach the sreer the head is from ascēdent fumes that would distemper and trouble the same Iohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God How shall a man come to have a sound and a good judgement to be able to judge what is truth and what is not Let him get a good conscience and make conscience of doing the will of God Iohn 14. 21. Hee that hath my commandements and keepes them c. such a man hath and keepes a good conscience And what benefit shall such a one have by keeping of a good conscience I will love him and I will manifest my selfe unto him And Ps 50. 23. To him that orders his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God God doth communicate himselfe and his truth to such as make conscience of their wayes The pure in heart shall see God and the secret of the Lord is with them that feare
shall not be able to draw thee from the faith of the Lord Iesus Prov. 6 20 22 24. My Son keep thy Fathers commandement c. And it will keep thee So I may say here keep a good conscience and it will keepe thee it will keepe thee sound in the faith it will keepe thee from being drawne away by the error of the wicked and it will keepe thee from the Wine of the fornications of the Whore of Babylon CHAP. XV. The last Motive to a good conscience The misery of an evill one THe last Motive remaines and that is The fift motive to a good conscience The horrour and misery of an evill Conscience If men did but truly know what the evill of an evill conscience were and how evill a thing and bitter it will be when conscience awakens here or shall bee awakened in hell a little perswasion should serve to move men to live in a good conscience We may say of the evill conscience as Solomon speakes of the drunkard Pro. 23. 29. Who hath woe who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath wounds but not without a cause Even the man whose conscience is not good even he that liues in an evill conscience An evill conscience how miserable it is we may see by considering the miserie thereof either in this world or the world to come 1. In this life When an evill conscience is awakened in this life the sorrow and smart the horror and terror is as the joy of a good conscience unspeakable An evil conscience in this life is miserable in regard of feare perplexity and torment To live in a continuall feare and to have a mans heart alwaies in shaking fits of feare is misery of miseries And such is the misery of an evill conscience Prov. 28. 1. The wicked flees when none pursues Onely his owne guilt pursues him and makes him flee His owne guilt causes a sound of feare in his eares Iob 15. 21. Which makes Proprium autem est nocentium trepidare Male de nobis actum erat quod multa seelera legem judicem effugiunt scripta supplicia nisi illa naturalia gravia de presentibus solverent in locum patientiae timor cederet Sonec ep 91. him shake at the noise of a shaken leafe Levit. 26. 36. yea that so scares him that terrours make him afraid on every side and drive him to his feet Iob 18. 11. Yea there are they in great feare where no feare is Ps 53. 3. So that a man with an evill conscience awakened may be named as Pashur is Ier. 20. 3. Magor-Missabib feare round about as being a terror to himselfe and to all his friends ver 4. An evill conscience even makes those feare fearefull feares of whom all other stand in feare How potent a Monarch and how dreadfull a Prince was Belshazzar who was able to put him into any feare whom all the earth feared And yet when his guilty conscience lookes him in the face awakened by the palme writing on the wall see where his courage is then Dan. 5. 6. Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another Who would have had his feare to have had his kingdome Let him now cloath himselfe with all his Majestie let him looke and speak as terribly as he can let him threaten the vilest vassall in his Court with all the tortures that tyranny can inflict and let him try if he can for his heart put his poorest subject into that fright and feare that now his conscience puts him into in the ruffe and middst of his jollity But I pray what ayles he to be in this feare in this so extraordinary a feare Hee can neither reade nor understand the writing upon the wall Indeed it threatned him the losse of his kingdome but hee cannot reade his threatning hee knowes not whether they be bitter things that God writes against him why may he not hope that it may bee good which is written and why may not this hope ease and abate his feare No no. Though he cannot reade nor understand the writing yet his guilty conscience can comment shrewdly upon it and can tell him it portends no good towards him His conscience now tells him of his godlesse impieties in profaning the vessels of the Temple of the true God and that for this his sacrilegious impropriation and abuse of holy things God is now come to reckon with him Thus can his conscience doe more than all his wise men All the wise men came in but they could not reade the writing nor make knowne to the King the interpretation thereof Dan. 5. 8. But his conscience is wiser than all his wise men and when they are as puzzeld that interprets to him that this writing meanes him no good and though he cannot reade the syllables yet his conscience gives a shrewd neere guesse at the substance of the writing and therefore hence comes that extasie of feare and those paroxysmes of horror It was better with Adam after his fall After his Sin committed we find him in a great feare Gen. 3. 8 10. and hee hides himselfe for feare Now observe how his feare is described from the circumstance of the time They heard the voyce of the Lord God walking in the garden in the coole of the day Luther layes the Emphasis of the aggravation of his feare upon this word the wind or coole of the day The night indeeed is naturally terrible and darknesse is fearfull whence that phrase Ps 91. The terrors of the night But the day and the light is a cheerfull and a comfortable creature Ec. 11. 7. Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun How is it then that in the faire day light which gives courage and comfort that Adam feares and runs into the thickets Oh his conscience was become Gravis malae conscientiae luxest Senec. ep 123. come evill and full of darknesse and the darknesse of his conscience turned the very light into darknesse and so turned the comforts of the day into the terrours of the night So that in this sense it may be said of an evill conscience which of the Lord is said in another Ps 139. 12. Vnto it the darknesse and the light are both alike As full of feare in the light as in the dark And besides the Lord came but in a gentle wind the coole breath of the day now what a small matter is a coole wind and that in the day time to to put a man in a feare Such small things breed great feares in evill consciences In what a wofull plight would Adam thinke we have beene if the Lord had come to him at the dead and darke midde-night with earth-quakes thunder and blustring tempest We may see the like in Cain After he had defiled his conscience with his brothers
dies If the worme of Hell would die the fire of Hell would go out For if there were no guilt there should be no punishment So that the very Hell of Hell is that self-torment which an evill conscience breeds Now then all this considered how powerfully should it move us to labour for a good conscience Thou that goest on in thine evill courses and hatest to be reformed and reclamed do but bethinke thy selfe if God should awaken thy conscience in what misery thou shouldst live Vt ex cruditate febres nascuntur vermes quaÌ„do quis cibum sumit intemperanter ita si quis peccata peccatis accumulet nec deco quot ea poenetentia sed misceat peccata peccatis cruditatem contrahit veterum recentium delictorum igne aduâ—etur proprio vermibus consumetur Ignis est queÌ„ generat moestitia delictorum vermis est eo quod irrationabilia animi peccata mentem pungunt viscera exedant vermes ex unoque nascuntur tanquam ex corpore peccatoris hic vermis non morietur c. Ambr. lib. 7. in Luk. c. 14. here what an hell to have a palsie conscience what a hell on earth to be alwayes under the accusations inditements and terrors of conscience and to live Cain like in the land of Nod in a continuall restlesse agitation But especially as thou fearest that everliving and ever grabbing worme so have a care to get a good conscience Greene raw fruits breed Chestworms which if heed be not taken will eate the very maw thorow A dead body and a putrified corrupt carcasse breeds worms that ly gnawing at it in the grave The forbidden and raw fruits of Sin are those which breed Chestwormes in the conscience The corruptions of the soule and dead workes are those that breed this living worme take heed therfore of medling with these fruits that will breed this worme and get thy conscience purged from dead works get this worme killed with the soonest for if thou lettest it live till thou dye it will never die at all and will put thee to those exquisite torments from which to be freed thou wouldst willingly suffer ten thousand of the most cruell deaths that the wit of man were able to invent As then I say thou fearest this worme of Hell so get a good conscience Drink downe every morning a hearty draught of Christs blood which may make this worme burst And when once this worm is burst and voyded and the conscience well purged by Christs blood take heed ever after of eating those raw fruits that will breed new wormes Lead so holy so upright and so conscionable a life that thou mayest not by thy fresh Sins clog thy conscience with fresh guilt Get thy conscience purged by Christs blood and thy conversation framed by Gods Word Thy words were found by me and I did eate them Ier. 15. 16. Do thou so eat no more the unwholesome and worme-breeding fruits of Sin but drinke Christs blood and eate Gods Word and they both shall purifie and scoure thy conscience from all such stuffe as may breed and feed the Hell-worme of an evill conscience CHAP. XVI The portion and respect that a good conscience finds in the world ANd thus have we hither to seen Pauls Protestation The second point followes namely Ananias his insolent and impetuous Injunction Verse 2. And the high Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth Paul had begun his defence in the former verse and that by authoritie and speciall command as appeares in the former Chapter at the 30. ver But he had no sooner begun but he is interrupted cut off and hath not onely his mouth stopt but stopt with Ananias fist He commanded to smite him on the mouth Out of which carriage and violence of his wee may observe divers things First learne What is the Reward and portion of a good conscience from the world It is the portion of a good conscience full oft to be smitten either on the mouth or with the mouth Blowes either with the fist or with the tongue To be smitten one way or other is full often the lot of a good conscience Smite him on the mouth sayes Ananias But let us a little expostulate the matter with Ananias Smite him on the mouth But yet as Pilate speaks in Christs case But what evill hath he done or what evill hath hee spoken Smite him on the mouth But as our Saviour answers Ioh. 18. 23. If he have spoken evil take witnesse of the evill and proceed legally and formally If he have spoken well or no manner of evill why commandest thou him to be smitten What hath he spoken any treason against Caesar or the Roman government If he have then as the town-clark of Ephesus speaks Act. 19. 38. The Law is open and there are Deputies let them accuse him and bring him to his answer It is a base usage of an ingenuous person to be smitten on the mouth in a Court of Iustice a dishonourable usage of a Roman Surely it should seeme by such base and bitter usage that Paul hath some way or other fouly forgotten and overshot himselfe that Ananias his spirit is thus embitered and provoked against him What hath Paul given him any exasperating and disgracefull termes hath he given him any open and personall girds before the whole Councell No no No such matter at all Why what then is the matter that Paul must be thus basely and thus despitefully used Will ye know the cause Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience Loe here is the quarrell He hath made a profession of a good conscience and for his good conscience sake are Ananias fists about his eares There is nothing so mads men of wicked consciences as the profession practice of a good conscience doth The very name mention of a good conscience makes Ananias halfe mad like one besides himselfe he fals not onely to foule words but to blowes also and Paul must have it on the mouth for good conscience sake Paul might have blasphemed the blessed name of Christ and rayled upon the odious Sect of the Nazarens hee might have beene a drunkard an adulterour or a murtherer and none of all these things would have stirred Ananias his blood for none of all these should Paul have been smitten but let him but once speak or treate of or any way meddle with good conscience and Ananias his blood is presently up hee cannot hold his hands but Paul must have on the mouth there is no remedy So odious a thing is good conscience and the profession of it to wicked men Therefore this is that which a good coÌ„scieÌ„ce must expect even Ananias his dole fists blowes smiting hard injurious measure from the world This is no new thing It was our Saviours case before it was Pauls Ioh. 18. 22. And when he had thus spoken one of the officers which stood by strucke
in the place He commands Paul to be smitten Vsurpers commonly are smiters and usurpation is usually attended with violence Such as the entrance such the administration We see it true in Abimelech Integritas praesidentisi est salus subditoruÌ„ principatus auteÌ„ quem ambitus occupavit etiam si moribus atque actibus non offendit ipsius tamen initij sui est pernitiosus exemplo difficile est ut bono peragantur exitu quae malo sunt inducta principio ex Decret and Athalia That as it is said of Pope Bonif. the eight that he entred like a Foxe raigned like a Lyon c. So was it with Ananias hee had a Foxes entrance hee came not to the Priesthood by an hereditary succession but as the fashion then was by simony bribery and flattery and now see how he raignes like a Lion and commands Paul to be smitten on the mouth An ill entrance into any place of office in Church or Common-wealth cannot promise any good in the administration thereof See what wofull times here were what bitternesse what madnesse against a good conscience Doct. 5 And these were the times that did a little fore-run the fatall fearfull ruine and desolation of Ierusalem and the Nation of the Iewes Ananias his deadly hatred of goodnesse and good conscience was a bud of the fig-tree that the particular Iudgement of Ierusalem was even at the doores When the rod is blossomed and pride hath budded and violence specially against good conscience is risen up into a rod of wickednes then may it truly be said Behold the day behold it is come The time is come the day drawes neere Ezec. 7. 10 11 12. By Bede describing the ancient destruction Odium in veritatis professores tanquaÌ„ subversores omnia tela odium in hos Bed hist gent. Aug. l. 1. cap. 14. of this kingdome of Britain this is made a fore-runner therof The hatred of the professors of the truth as of subverters all the spite and hate was against them Our Saviour tels his Disciples Luk. 21. 11. of fearfull sights and great signes that should be from heaven before the destruction of Ierusalem And so there was a fearfull comet many other prodigious things before the same Now if the Iewes had had hearts to have considered it this cordiall malignity on every hand against good coÌ„scieÌ„ce was as sad a Prognosticator of their approaching ruine as any blazing star or terrible sight whatsoever It is an ill presage of a Nation going down when once good conscience is fisted downe CHAP. XVIII The severity of Gods justice upon the enemies of a good conscience and the usuall equity of Gods administration in his executions of justice THus have wee seene Paul fisted and laid on the mouth How doth Paul now take this blow at Ananias hands He smites not againe nor offers to repell one violence with another he had learned of Christ rather to have turned his other cheeke to him But yet though hee smite him not with the fist yet he smites with a checke and a just reproofe for his violence And so may a man smite without transgression and without revenge Psal 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall not breake mine head So may a man smite and yet be a righteous man These blows are not to breake heads as Ananias his blowes are but these are to breake hard hearts Thus Paul smites without transgression of the bonds of meeknesse and patience And so we are now come to the third maine point in the text Pauls zealous answer and contestation Vers 3. Then said Paul unto him God shall smite thee thou whited wall The contestation is contained in the whole verse And in this contestation we have a denunciation of judgement that haâ—ly by a Propheticall an Apostolicall spirit prophesying to him what should befall him not an imprecation out of a private spirit stirred with a desire of revenge God shall or will smite not I pray God smite or I hope to see the day when God shall smite but God shall smite As if he had said well Ananias thou hast smitten me heare now what thy doome from God is I am sent to thee with heavie tydings God wil call thee to reckoning for this blow and Gods hand is over thine head to pay thee in thine owne kind So then from the whole learne thus much Christian patience though it bind a mans Doct. hands yet doth it not alwayes bind a mans tongue Though it lay a Law upon a man to forbeare violence yet layes it not a Law upon him alwayes to enjoyne him silence Though a man in Pauls case may not strike yet hee may speake Though Religion pinion a mans armes from striking yet doth it not sow seale up a mans lips from speaking Ananias hath smitten Paul on the face and if it please him to have another blow he will not resist him hee hath his other cheeke ready for him if his fingers itch to be doing but yet for all this though Paul hold his hands hee doth not hold his peace Indeed Christs precept is well known Math. 5. 39. Turne the other cheeke also but yet for all that see what his practice was when he was smitten Ioh. 18. 23. Iesus answered him If I have spoken evill beare witnesse of the evill but if well why smitest thou me And yet his precept and practice doe not interfeire nor crosse shinnes For though by his precept hee forbids us to retaliate or recompence injury with injury out of the heat of a vindictive spirit yet by his practice he warrants us in cases of injury to make a manifestation both of our own innocencie and others injustice Religion binds no man to be a Traytour to his own innocencie and the justice of his cause and by silence to abet others injustice With a good conscience may a man speake so long as hee speakes as Paul did before Festus Act. 26. 25. The words of truth and sobernesse So a man answer truly soberly without tacks of gall and impatient touches of revenge Christ and Religion say to a man convented and injuriously proceeded against as Agrippa did to Paul Act. 26. 1. Thou art permitted to speak for thy self This in generall more particularly in this Denunciation Consider the judgement denounced that is this God shall smite thee From which we may observe two things First See Gods judgements and the severity of Doct. 1 his justice against the enemies of a good conscience and his faithfull servants Ananias smites Paul and for his good conscience and what gets hee by it God will smite him and give him as good as hee brings God will smite smiters Ananias smites Paul and Gods will smite Ananias yea and God did smite Ananias for he was afterwards slaine by Manaimus one of the Captaines of the Iewes It is a dangerous thing not to smite when God commands 1 King 20. 35 36. He that would not smite a
Prophet when God commanded was smitten with an heavie judgement It is no lesse dangerous to smite when God forbids smiting God hath an heavie hand for those that are so light fingred and he will give them blow for blow that will bee smiting his for a good conscience Touch not mine anoynted and do my Prophets no harm Ps 105. 15. He that touches them touches the apple of Gods eye Zach. 2. 8. So hee that smites them smites the apple of his eye The eie is a tender place and sensible of a little blow God will not take a blow on the eye nor beare a blow on his face at the hands of the proudest enemies of them all and though we must turne the other cheek rather than smite againe yet the Lord to whom vengeance belongs wil take no blows at their hands but if they will be smiting they shall be sure to heare of him to their cost You find Ex. 2. 11. an Aegyptian smiting an Israelite It becomes none better than Aegyptians to be smiting Israelites Moses spies an Aegyptian smiting of an Hebrew What gets the Aegyptian in the end See verse 12. God stirs up the spirit of Moses to smite him and to slay him Thus will God teach Aegyptians to be medling Pashur smites Ieremy Ier. 20. 2. What got he by it The heavie stroke of Gods hand upon himselfe and all his friends ver 3 4 5 6. Herod was a smiter too Act. 12. 1 2. He stretched forth his hands to vexe certain of the Church and he killed Iames the Brother of Iohn with the Sword And what became of him in the end See ver 23. The Angel of the Lord smote him he was eaten up of worms and he gave up the ghost It is said of Ionas his gourd that a worme smote it and it withered Ion. 4. That was much that a worme should so soone smite the gourd But when men will be smiting Gods people and his prophets for a good conscience and when Herod will be so busie as to smite Apostles God can send not onely an Angel one of his most glorious creatures but even a base worme even one of the weakest creatures to smite Herod and eate him both Ieroboam stretches forth his arme against the Prophet 1 Kin. 13. his arm withers he doth but threatē to smite God smites him How much more when Herod stretches forth his hād to vexe the Church and to smite Gods Ministers wil God not only wither them but smite him as Sampson smote the Philistims hip and thigh and make him a rotten and a stinking spectacle to all malicious smiters to the worlds end Thus is that true which the Prophet implies in that speech Isa 27. 6. Hath hee smitten him as hee smote his smiter Marke then Gods dealing hee uses to smite smiters Neither is this true only of smiters with the fist and with the sword but it is also true of those smiters Ier. 18. 18. Come and let us smite him with the tongue Even such smiters will God smite also as wee may see there ver 21 22 23. Thus God met with Nabal David sends for reliefe to him upon his festivall day and he in stead of an almes fals a railing on him and cals him in effect a Rogue and a Vagabond and a run-away Thus hee smote David with his tongue What follows See ver 38. And it came to passe about ten dayes after that the Lord smote Nabal And how smote he him That he died So Zach. 14. 12. Their tongue shall consume away in their mouth What might the reason be of that judgment Because haply many that cannot or dare not fight with their hands for fear of the law yet fight against Gods Ministers his servants with their tongues Wel God hath a plague to smite such sinners Though they smite but with the tongue yet God will smite them and give them their portion with the rest of the adversaries of the Church And if God will not spare such smiters how much lessewil he spare such as smite with the sword Terror to all smiters either with hand Vse 1 or tongue Smite on goe on in your malicious courses doe so but yet know that there is a smiter in heaven that will meet with you Had Zimri peace who slew his master So said Iezabel to Iehu and so may it bee said in this case Search the Scriptures search the Histories of the Church Had ever any smiters peace which lifted up either hand or tongue against any of the Lords people Did smiters ever scape scot-free Had they any cause to brag in the end Had they ever any cause to brag of the last blow Did Herod prosper that smote Iames with the sword did Ananias prosper that smote Paul did the Aegyptian prosper that smote the Hebrew Did Doeg prosper who was a tongue-smiter as well as an hand-smiter Psa 52. Oh consider this you that dare lift up your hands and tongues against a good conscience be afraid of Gods smiting hand tremble to meddle in this kind Learne to hold your hands and tongues unlesse yee long to feele Gods smiting hand Especially take heed of smiting Gods Ministers in any kind Deut. 33. 11. Levi hath a strange blessing Blesse Lord his substance accept the worke of his hand smite through the loynes of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again God saw that of al others Levi would be most subject to the blowes of fists and tongues and therefore he is fenced with a blessing for the nonce to make smiters feare to meddle with him or if they will needs meddle yet to let them see that it were better to wrong any other tribe than that God would smite thē smite them to the purpose that shal offer to smite him Here is that which may make Gods people comfortably patient under all the Vse 2 wrongs injuries of smiters in any kind Here is that may make them by patience to possesse their soules may make them hold their hands and their tongues from smiting Smite not thou God will smite smiters Indeed when we will be smiting wee prevent Gods smiting and so they have the easier blows by the meanes For what are our blowes to the Lords Do as Christs did 1 Pet. 2. 23. Who when hee was reviled reviled not againe but committed himself to him that judges righteously It is best leaving them to the Lords hand Pray for thy smiters that God would give them smiting hearts that their hearts may smite them for their smiting pray to God if he see it good they may be so smitten This is a revenge will stand with charity Yet if not leave them to God who best knows how to smite smiters It is great comfort against the sore afflictions Vse 3 of Gods Church at this present The enemies of the Gospel have smitten Gods Church with a sore blow Wel yet let us not bee out