thou art the man and yet for all this Judas's Conscience was not awake This is indeed matter of admiration that a mans Conscience should be so fast asleep But how many Instances of such sleepy Consciences doth this very age afford But doth Judas's Conscience sleep always No. Then Judas which betrayed him when he saw that Jesus was condemned he brought again the 30 pieces of Silver to the Chief Priests and said I have sinned in that I have betrayed Innocent blood But miserable comforters were those Christ-Buyers they bought him to be crucified they did reply to him when he said I have sinned What is that to us see thou to that And he cast down the thirty pieces of Silver in the Temple and went and hanged himself And now his Conscience was so awake that it would not suffer him to live I assure you howsoever Conscience may be asleep for a great while yet the time will come that Conscience will do it's office and therefore it doth greatly concern us to take great care that Conscience may have no occasion to reproach us O happy Judas if thou hadst never made a bargain to sell thy Master and hadst never sought opportunity to betray him O happy if thou hadst never accompanyed the Band of Souldiers that came to apprehend him But he came along with the Band of Souldiers and gave them the Sign The Man whom I shall kiss is the Man hold him fast yet Conscience did not reproach him But let Men do what they can to stop the mouth of Conscience it will speak at last and they will be biting words Carnal Reasonings cannot stop it Carnal Pleasures cannot bribe it nor any variety of diversions silence it Cain you know he was quiet awhile Gen 4. 13. But after a while Cain's Conscience did reproach him would not let him alone Belshazzar he is merry a while with his Courtiers and Companions in drinking Wine in Bowls but after he falls a trembling and his knees smote one against the other and he grew pale when he saw the hand writing on the wall Conscience will fee an hand writing not on the wall but in this book I have spoken with some poor Souls that could say This word is against me and that word is against me there are words enough in this Book against you Conscience will one day awake and reproach and will not be bribed will not have its mouth stopt This is one great reason why we should be careful so to live that Conscience may not reproach us while we live for the reproches of Conscience are unavoidable Reason II. Another reason why we should take all possible care that Conscience may have no occasion to reproach us is because the reproaches of Conscience are Intolerable there will be no bearing of them A wounded Spirit who can bear None are able to bear it Many instances might be given you may read Job 7. 13 14 15. When I say my bed shall comfort me my couch shall ease my complaint then thou scarest me with dreams and terriâ—iest me with visions so that my soul chuseth strangling and death rather then life Oh Sirs what a case will the terrours and accusations of Conscience bring the poor creature into Job 10. 1. My soul is weary of my life I will leave my complaint upon my self c. Psalm 32. 3 4. When I kept silence my bones-waxed old through my roaring all the day c. All this was occasioned through the reproaches of Conscience I might add Prov. 12. 25. Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh a man to stoop I have known those that have been bowed together by reason of the agonies of Conscience I knew one at whose Eyes and Ears Bloud hath gushed forth by reason of the Agonies of Conscience Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit dries the bones You know Judas did chuse rather to die than endure it Bilney and Baynham after they had abjured felt such pangs such a Hell in their Consciences till they had openly professed their sorrow for it as they would not have felt again for all the World Daniel chose rather to be cast into the Lions Den then to carry a Lion in his bosom viz. an enraged Conscience Richard the Third was a terror to himself after he had murdered his two innocent Nephews Charles the Ninth of Franâ—e after that bloudy Massacre by which his Conscienc was enraged could not endure to be awakened in the night without Musick or some other diversion Thus much for the Reasons of the Point I proceed to the Application Vse 1. Of Reproof The first Use shall be for Reproof of those that take no such care to avoid the Reproaches of Conscience but do that which will be cast by Conscience as a Reproach upon them another day How do some for many years together heap up Fuel to keep a Fire burning within them No sooner is some Fuel spent but there is more Fuel heapt on again fresh sins are committed and after a while these sins come to remembrance and set the Fire a burning It may be a man may weather it out a little but then more sins come to light and that sets the Fire a burning again and so there is no end Conscience hath not forgotten any thing done many years ago but remembers it as if it had been done but yesterday You that cannot endure to be reproached that cannot endure to hear others reproached that cannot bear the Reproaches of Men whenas it may be they reproach wrongfully how will you bear not the false but true Accusations of Conscience Men may reproach falsly but Conscience will reproach truly Men may reproach thee and yet thine own Conscience may clear thee when they accuse thee but if Conscience reproach thee then who shall clear thee Men may grow weary or ashamed of reproaching thee but if Conscience reproach thee will that grow weary or ashamed No never If some men reproach us others may clear us but if Conscience reproach us who then can clear us This should humble us that we have given Conscience occasion to reproach us 2 Sam. 24. 1. If you have not taken this care to avoid the Reproaches of Conscience it will reproach you as it did David whose Heart smote him after he had numbered the People and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done I beseech thee O Lord to take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly Davids Heart smote him now his Conscience now his Conscience smites and cuts him to the very Heart Though his Conscience were quiet a great while Psal. 73. 21 22. yet afterwards he thus complains Thus my heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reins so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee If you neglect Conscience when it points with the finger and gives direction assure your selves Conscience will have a
time to smite with the fift and to give correction and then there will be no enduring of it as it was with David when his Heart smote him Psal. 69. 7. If shame covered Davids Face when men reproached him Oh what shame will cover our Faces when Conscience shall reproach us Reproach hath broken my heart saith he and I am full of heaviness I looked for some to take pity but there was none and for comforters but I found none Ver. 20. This will be your case and your complaint when Conscience shall reproach you Reproach hath broken my heart They gave me Gall for meat and Vinegar to drink saith he Ver. 21. Conscience will give Gall and Vinegar to us unless some course be taken for the quieting of it if you make it not your care so to live that Conscience may not reproach you To be able to say For Gods sake I have born reproach Psal. 69. 7. will be a comfort but if for our Lusts sake we bear reproach what a Torment will that be When Conscience shall say This is for the sake of that proud Lust this is for the sake of that drunken Lust that wanton Lust of thine this is for that Passion of thine that froward and fretful Spirit of thine when Conscience shall say This is for the sake of such a Lust which thou didst indulge and kept as a sweet morsel under thy tongue notwithstanding the persuasions of all Gods Ministers to the contrary how wilt thou be able to bear it Vse 2. Of Exhortation Take care that Conscience may not have occasion to reproach you while you live The Reasons before mentioned may serve as Motives The unavoidableness and intolerableness of these reproaches of Conscience these are Motives enough to engage us to take all care that Conscience may not reproach us Let it be your care to have a Conscience void of offence Prov. 15. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 12. and then Conscience instead of accusing will excuse instead of condemning it will acquit you If you hearken to the voice of Conscience informed and guided by the Word of God it will be a continual feast unto you Prov. 15. 15. and your daily rejoycing This is our rejoycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world When a man hath Conscience on his side this will be a Cordial in any condition whatsoever in a Prison a Cordial in a Dungeon a Cordial in a strange Country and a Cordial in the worst of sufferings that we 〈◊〉 meet with Keep Conscience void of offence and so live that Conscience may not reproach you and all will be well How may we so live you will say that Conscience may not reproach us while we live or if we have so lived that Conscience hath had cause to reproach us how may we get those reproaches wiped off and get Conscience quiet again That I shall reserve for another opportunity SERMON III. JOB 27. 6. My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not reproach me so long as I live HAving already shewed you what Conscience is and about what it is imployed and how it is imployed and given you several reasons why we should make it our great care so to live that Conscience may not reproach us while we live and having made some Use of the Doctrine I now come to resolve two questions or cases 1. The first is how may we so live walk and act and carry our selves that Conscience may have no cause to reproach us another day 2. If we have so lived so walked so acted and so carryed our selves that Conscience hath had just cause to reproach us and doth reproach us what is to be done that the reproaches of Conscience may be wiped off that Conscience may be quiet and cease to accuse and condemn cease to vex and torment These are the two cases I am to answer Case 1. How may we so live walk act and carry our selves that Conscience may have no cause to reproach us You see that Job did so live and carry himself that though his friends did reproach him his Conscience did not reproach him though his friends did charge him yet his Conscience did discharge him though his friends did condemne him yet his Conscience did acquit him He did so live that he was able to maintain his Integrity and Uprightness and doubtless it is not a thing impossible but we do not set to it we do not set about it in earnest If we be Christians indeed and not almost Christians we might so live as Conscience might have no just cause to reproach us O Sirs Relations may reproach us Wives may reproach Husbands and Husbands reproach Wives Children may reproach Parents and Servants reproach their Masters and one Neighbour reproach another but it is possible so to live that Conscience all this while may be at peace and not reproach us Possibly you may be ready to think and say within your selves Would we could tell how we might so live pray let us have some directions how we may so live that Conscience may not reproach us But before I give counsel should not I know of you whether you will follow it And in case you will not follow it why should I give it Ask your selves therefore if the Minister shall give us no other counsel then what God himself giveth us should not I follow it Sirs if I give you any other counsel then what God in his holy Word doth give you I would intreat you not to follow it nay if you set it at naught I shall not be offended Consider what Jethro said to Moses Exod. 18. 23. If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so so say I Therefore consider whether God say as I say whether God command you so if so pray take heed how you do set at naught the Counsel of God Now the first Direction which I shall give you is this Direction I. Set God always before you And this will be a means so to live that Conscience may not reproach you Assure your selves there is no time wherein Gods Back is turned no time wherein Gods Eye is not upon you if you can find a time when God is absent you may take your liberty and do what you list You know of what force the Masters presence is among the Servants of what force the Parents presence is among the Children to restrain them of what force the presence of a Minister or a grave serious and holy Christian is to restrain People from what otherwise they would take liberty to do Sure Gods Presence should be of greater force to restrain us if we did but live in the Apprehension thereof O if we could but set God always before us what manner of persons should we be in all holy Convâ—rsation all holy cogitation and
have been either in the mire or in the fire will take heed how they come there again You can hardly force them into a Bog wherein they have been mired they will turn this way and that way and run back again upon you rather then run into the mire wherein they have been already A wounded Conscience who can bear They that have felt that wound and have gotten it heal'd will take heed how they make another The Proposition I gave you was this It should be our greatest care so to live that our Consciences may have no occasion to accuse or reproach us while we live Some do so live that their neighbours can have no occasion to reproach them some there are that so live that the very worst have a good word for them I have known some that have been so unblamable of such a sweet disposition so kind and courteous to all and have lived so inoffensively that the worst have had a good word for them But where are they that have or do carry themselves so that their Consciences have no occasision to accuse them or to reproach them Commend me to that person if you can I have already shewed you what Conscience is and about what it is imployed and how it is imployed I come now to the Proof of the Doctrine This was Jobs care you see he was resolved upon it that he would so walk and so watch that Conscience might have no occasion to reproach him And hath Job no Fellows yes many the Scripture speaketh of such as have made it their care so to walk that Conscience might have no just occasion to reproach them David was one of them as appears by what he saith Ps. 16. 8. Ps. 119. 3 112 113. although there was a time when he gave Conscience too great occasion to reproach him and his Conscience did reproach him to purpose at last Ah poor David what broken bones had he This was Hezekiah's care else he could not have had the testimony of his Conscience for him as he had Remember saith he Isa. 38. 3. O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Perfect heart that is an upright heart perfection not of degrees but of parts is there to be understood There are many such other places in Scripture as in the Book of Psalms Mark the perfect man and behold the upright where you find one word to explaine the other This also was Pauls care else could not he have had the testimony of his Conscience as he had This is our rejoycing saith he the testimony of our Conscience c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. it was Pauls exercise Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Man Reason I. The grounds and Reasons of it follow One reason why we should take all possible care that Conscience may have no occasion to reproach us is because if occasion be given these reproaches are unavoidable I say these Reproaches Vexations and Accusations of Conscience wil be unavoidable there is no escaping from them we may give occasion to others and possibly there may be some avoiding that which we give occasion of but here is no avoiding or escaping in this case Conscience may be asleep and Conscience may say nothing a great while but at last it will awake and do it's office in accusing and in judging condemning and tormenting David's Conscience was asleep for a great while but afterwards Nathan cometh to him from the Lord and rouzeth Conscience and then Conscience set most violently upon him as appears by the Ps. 51. where he complaineth of broken bones and prayeth that the bones which were broken might rejoyce So Joseph's Brethren they heard nothing of Conscience a great while but at last Conscience twinges them at last Conscience put out his envenomed sting no such sting as the sting of Conscience at last Conscience taketh them by the throat Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning the Blood of our Brother c. though men do with the Harlot for a great while wipe their mouths and say What evil have we done As Joseph's Brethren they sold their Brother Joseph Conscience said never a word to them let them alone a great while they came and told their Father a lie and Conscience said never a word to them when they told their Father that Joseph was slain they saw their Father Mourning as if he were going down into the Grave Conscience saith nothing all the while a Famine cometh upon the Land Conscience yet saith nothing to them at last they come down into Egypt there they meet with hard usage and are in danger of imprisonment Now Conscience beginneth to rouze up itself like a Lyon to tear and devour then they cry out Verily we are guilty concerning the blood of our Brother You see Conscience had an awakening time though it had been asleep the Morning came for its awakening So Judas his Conscience was asleep for a great while and one would wonder that it should ever be so fast asleep as was Mat. 26. 15. you may read there some passages of it He goeth to the Chief Priests and maketh a Bargain What will you give me and I will deliver Jesus to you and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of Silver there he maketh a bargain for a little Silver to sell his Lord and Master and to betray the innocent blood Conscience saith never a word to him Further he sought for opportunity to betray Christ yet Conscience saith nothing to him v. 21. when he was come into the presence of his Master he came with the Disciples to the Passover yet Conscience saith nothing to him all the while when he was at the Passover and eating Christ telleth his Disciples that one of them should betray him yet Judas's Conscience saith never a word to him but letteth him alone all this while Nay further when the Disciples at these words were exceeding sorrowful and began to say every one of them Lord is it I yet Judas's Conscience saith nothing to him And Christ said He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish the same shall betray me yet his Conscience was asleep all this while Further ver 24. Christ pronounceth a Wo to that man by whom he should be betrayed yet the denunciation of that Wo did not awaken Judas's Conscience Wo to him it had been good for that man he had never been born It is matter of admiration and amazement that his Conscience should be so fast asleep the Devil entred into him and rocked Conscience asleep till he might be sure to do him mischeif enough ver 25. Then Judas which betrayed him put the question and said Master is it I Methinks his Conscience should have flown in his face like a Mastiff Nay further saith Christ Thou hast said
in all holy communication too David did set God always before him and why should not we do so too Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me O then it was that David was a man after Gods own heart then it was that David was such a Praying man and such a Praising man and such an Holy and Heavenly man when he did set the Lord always before him You know how persons will carry themselves in the sight of Men if they have any thing to do in the sight of others how they will do it O that we could do all we do as in the sight of God This was the charge that was given to Abraham by God himself Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect that is upright There is no such way to be upright as to live in the Apprehension of the Presence of God and to have this always run in our thoughts God heareth God sees and God knows O that this were written upon your Desks and Shop Boards God sees O that this were written upon your Tables God sees Oh that this were written upon your Looking Glasses God sees O that this were written upon all your Attire and Dresses God sees and O that this were written upon your Naked Breasts and Shoulders God sees and upon your Faces and Foreheads too I do assure you Sirs that God does see you O that you would live in the continual Apprehension of it God sees thee God knows what all your thoughts are what all your designs are what all your sayings and doings are Be ever thinking God knows God hears God sees In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3. 6. This will make you careful to keep Gods Precepts if in all your ways you look upon God as your Observer and Overseer This was that which made David careful to observe Gods Precepts Psal. 119. 168. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies O blessed David how didst thou do this He tells you in the next words For all my ways are before thee I could heartily wish â—hat you would often and seriously read and consider these three or four scriptures Job 34. 21 22. For his 〈◊〉 are upon the ways of man and he sees all his goings There is no darkness or shadow of death where the Workers of iniquity may hide themselves There is no hiding from God be sees all our goings we cannot set one foot before another but God sees it Alas alas if a man do but go out of doors God sees it if he goes into the Field God sees it if he goes to other Houses God sees it if he goes to his own House God sees it too Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Prov. 5. 2. The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings I desire you once a week to read over the former part of the 139 Psalm if I should desire you to read it once a day it would not be lost labour You will see there is no going out of the sight and presence of God Verily Sirs to set God always before us and to live in the Sight and Apprehension of the Presence of God this would have such an influence upon our Thoughts Words and Works that it would make them pleasing to God and if so Conscience would never reproach us for them for Conscience will not reproach us for doing that which is pleasing to God Thus much for the first Direction Direction II. Set up Gods Will revealed in his Word as the Rule of all your Thoughts Words and Actions as the rule of all you do in your general calling and of all you do in your particular calling as a rule of all your natural civil and religious Actions set up the Will of God revealed in his Word as the rule of your all Let it be the rule of your carriage towards God of your carriage toward men toward your selves and toward others This is Scripture direction the Counsel which the Holy Ghost giveth therefore I beseech you seriously consider of it and follow it Psal. 119. 6. The shall not I be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandements and in the 9th verse a Question is put Wherewithall shall a young man cleans his way the answer followeth By taking heed thereto according to thy Word doing all according to Rule What hath a Child a Copy for but to write after it and what hath the Mason a Line and a Plummet for but to build by it Let the Word of God be thy Lamp and thy Light Psal. 119 105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet wild a light unto my Path. Order your steps according to the Word of God as David prayed Psal. 119. 133. and then you will not stumble nor give Conscience any occasion of reproaching you You are careful when you walk in the Street to keep out of the Chanal to keep out of the way that may pollute and defile you Oh Sirs why do we not order our steps according to the Word of God Why do we not keep the path Why go we out of the path Poor David did so sometimes therefore the prays Psal. 119. 176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep seek thy Servant for I do not forget thy Commandements Would you not be willing that Mercy and Peace might be upon you Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Beware my friends of setting up false rules to your selves and I beseech you let not these directions which I am giving you be out of mind when I am out of sight I pray beware of setting up false rules I shall name sour which we are very prone to walk by 1. Beware of setting up the practice of others whether great or good for your rule the practices of good men are not always agreeable to the rule as they should be Ministers and others may step aside and too often do therefore beware of setting up the practice of others whether great or good to be your rule Remember you are to follow others as they follow Christ. You will say this was the practice of such a Minister this is the practice of such a Professor but do they walk as Christ walked If they follow Christ thou mayst follow them but if they do not follow Christ we must not follow them be they who they will 2. Beware of setting up the opinions of others be they never so learned for your rule though they be the greatest Doctors in the World and called Rabbi never so much Set not up the Opinion of any for your rule any further then they have the Word of God for their Opinion When God speaks we must consider who but when Man speaks we must consider what I say when God speaks we must not consider what