Conscience Flatter us it will but injure us if it deal Faithfully though it speak never so terribly it may do us a great kindness You must know that a good Conscience may Accuse as well as Excuse It Accuses indeed of evil but 't is not evil that it does Accuse (i) Neque magis vitio verti potuit conscientiae postea cùm juste accusavit condemnavit quà m ipsi legi Judici summo qui idem fecit post ingressum peccati non ante Tantum vero abest conscientiae accusatio justa ab omni justâ reprehensione ut a peccatoribus imprimis requiratur tanquam unica via de peccatis admissis agendi paenitentiam Ames De Conscien l. 1. c. 12. but a part of its Duty and truly this is Necessary unto our Humiliation and Amendment 1. The Accusations of a good Conscience are just sin is the ground of those Accusations and the better the Conscience is the more immediately there will be a smiting of the heart after the prevailing of a Temptation Thus David's heart quickly smote him after he had numbred the People and he said I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the Iniquity of thy Servant for I have done very Foolishly 2 Sam. 24. 10. And when a good Conscience Accuses 't is not easily satisfied 't will not be quiet till there be a confession of sin before God a loathing of it and pardon and healing are obtained through our Lord Jesus While David kept silence that is refused ingenuously to confess his fault his Conscience was clamorous and his Bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long and his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer Psal 32. 3 4. but at length he has Peace v. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee and my Iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my sin Selah 2. And as the Accusations of a good Conscience are just so it will Excuse if there be good Reason for it It will call Grace Grace if it be true though it be but weak God does not despise the day of small things neither ought Conscience It ought not by taking notice onely of sin and over-looking the Spirits work in the Soul to go about to break the bruised Reed and quench the smoaking Flax. It must be granted that Believers Consciences do bring in a false Testimony against them at some seasons and they make bold to call themselves Hypocrites and to affirm that there is nothing in them but what may be found in Reprobates But this is no part of Consciences goodness and they are to be reproved because upon every light ground they are so apt to question their Estate and to rank themselves among the Hypocrites in doing thus they gratifie Satan exceedingly and hinder their own Edification because they are ever questioning whether the Foundation be rightly laid and God has little or no thanks from them though in giving them the least measure of saving Grace he has done more for them than if he had put Scepters into their hands and Crowns of pure Gold upon their Heads But you will ask how may Conscience be made thus Faithful in its Testimony I Answer 1. If you would have Conscience bear witness truly neither add unto nor diminish from the Word of God Call not those Sins which are not transgressions of his Laws and call not those Duties which he never commanded God has so fully revealed his mind in his Word that whatever is not expresly contained in it or by firm consequence deducible from it Conscience is not to take notice of either as Truth or Duty Look not into false Glasses which Satan will be apt to set before you The Scripture is the true Glass and 't is the thankful Glass too which mends the eyes of them that look into it 2. Look well into your selves be willing to take notice of the evil in you as well as the good and which is needful to be added for the sake of humbled Souls be willing to Observe that good which God has wrought in you as well as the evil which you labour under 3. Let it be your earnest request at the Throne of Grace that your own Hearts may not deceive you As Satan is a lying Spirit so your own Spirits are false to you and are ready to joyn with him God is able to discover you unto your selves though the Heart be so deceitful above all things that the Prophet crys out who can know it Yet the Lord searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins Jer. 17. 10. 4. Be willing that Conscience should speak truth whether that truth make for you or against you That was a bad temper of Ahab who hated Micajah because he Prophesied not good concerning him but evil 1 Kings 22. 8. and because he could not endure to hear of Evil at length he feels it and there was no Remedy When Conscience does speak most against you in some Respects 't is for you because whatever you aile there is a Remedy provided in the Gospel To know the truth of your Condition if it be bad does not make it worse but is one good step unto the alteration of it for the better That 's the Fifth thing A good Conscience is Faithful in Witness-bearing 6. The goodness of Conscience lies in the purity of it Nothing in the Soul of Man can be said to be good in a Scripture-sence unless purged for as the whole Soul is Corrupted by Nature so renovation in the whole is needful our Understandings are not good till Sanctified to depart from evil is Vnderstanding our Affections are not good till cleansed our Consciences are not good till purged I do not I dare not affirm that this purity of Conscience in this Life is so compleat as to exclude all manner of defilement in this sence who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Prov. 20. 9. But that which the Gospel accounts purity of Conscience lies in these particulars 1. Where the Conscience is pure no sin is concealed or covered If we cover sin God will not cover it we shall not be of the Number of those Blessed ones whose Transgressions are forgiven whose Iniquities are covered and to whom the Lord will not impute sin A pure Conscience therefore without any guile or reservation confesses all before God and as it confesses all it knows so 't is willing to know more that more may be acknowledged and bewailed Job among other Arguments uses this and 't was a strong one to prove the purity of his Conscience that he had not covered his Transgression as Adam by hiding his Iniquity in his Bosom Job 31. 33. He that conceals a Thief sides with him and he that hides sin 't is a sign his heart is not turned from it A pure Conscience is free and
(q) As dirty hands foul all they touch And those things most which are most pure and fine So our clay-hearts ev'n when we crouch To sing thy praises make them less divine Yet either this Or none thy portion is Herb. Misery p. 93. 6. Till Conscience be good how extreamly dangerous is our Estate We are the Children of Wrath the Sons of Death Condemned already not sure to be a day or hour out of that place of Torment where the Worm does not dye and the Fire none can quench When the Lord speaks to the Ungodly his mouth is full of threatnings his words are woes and curses and not one syllable of Encouragement or hope does he give them as long as they are resolved to continue in their wickedness Indeed if they are willing to have their Consciences and Conversations cleansed then he declares himself inclined to Mercy and to make them white as Wool or Snow though before red like Scarlet or like Crimson Isa 1. 16. 18. But as long as Conscience is secure and the sinner is resolved and obstinate alas God is angry with him every day the Vial is continually filling fuller and more wrath is treasured up against the day of wrath If the sinner turn not the Lord hath whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready and who knows how soon the Arrow may be shot that may dispatch the sinner in the twinkling of an Eye and both kill and damn together 7. If Conscience be not good how great and intolerable may be the torture of it when it is awakened Solomon tells us That the Spirit of a Man may sustain his Infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can bear These wounds are made by sin as the Meritorious caus e and by the hand of God himself as an Holy Righteous Dreadful Sin-revenging Majesty The buffetings of Satan indeed are sometimes very troublesome and terrible but what are the buffetings of a Creature if compared with the blows and wounds of Him that is Almighty When God shall say to a sinful soul Behold I am against thee Ezek. 5. 8. When God shall run upon a Transgressor as a Giant and break him with breach upon breach surely his hands will not be strong his heart will not be able to endure 'T was a saying of Luther (q) Animus malè sibi conscius potiùs in mille rerum formas verteretur ac citiùs per saxa per ignes per ahaeneos montes denique ad Diabolum ipsum ferretur quam ad Deum accederet Luther Tom. 1. In Genes c. 43. That an evil Conscience being indeed wounded had rather be turned into a thousand forms had rather venture upon Rocks and Flames Mountains of brass nay upon the Devil himself than have to do with God The Design of which passage is to shew how terrible the Lord is unto a guilty and enraged Conscience Such are said to be Drunken but not with Wine unless it be the Wine of Astonishment and they are compared to a wild Bull in a Net being full of the Fury of the Lord and the Rebuke of God Isa 50. 20 21. If you look into Scripture you may find the Saints themselves complaining of these wounds in their Consciences Listen to Job Chap. 6. 2 3 4. O that my grief were throughly weighed and my Calamity laid in the Balances together For now it would be heavier thâ—â— the sand of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up for the Arrows of the Almighty are within me the Poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me The Psalmist speaks to the same purpose Psal 88. 14 15 16. Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy Face from me I am Afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrors have cut me off And if Saints have drank so deep of this Cup of Trembling oh how bitter may it be to sinners (r) Est intus animi vigor Arce conditus abditâ Haec venena potentius Detrahunt hominem sibi Dira quae penitus meant Nec nocentia corpori Mentis vulnere saeviunt Boetius l. 4. Met. 3. pag. mihi 122. As therefore you would avoid the Lords contending with you which will make your spirits fail before him it should be your care to have a good Conscience 8. A good Conscience as it will make those that have it to be better and better themselves so it will render them exceedingly beneficial and make them blessings unto others A good Conscience like Rebecca of old is weary of the Daughters of Heth and is not satisfied unless the Flesh be like the house of Saul growing weaker and weaker and the Spirit be like the house of David growing stronger and stronger Conscience puts the Saints upon following on to know the Lord and following harder after him and though the least Grace deserve Infinite and Eternal thanks and Conscience urges unto praise yet withall it adds that the highest measures of Holiness are not to be rested in but still there must be a growing up into Christ in all things untill we arrive unto a perfect stature in his Kingdom A good Conscience will also make us publick Blessings unto others (s) Vir bonus est commune bonum It considers we are not Born or New-born onely for our selves It will make us beneficial to the Church and to the World 1. To the Church If there were more of Conscience it would hinder Animosities Contentions Divisions Declinings the decay of Love and of the Power of Godliness Conscience is for Peace and Unity and for walking as Saints and Brethren Mens Passions and Interests put them upon those courses that tend to Dividing and Destroying the Church of Christ 2. To the World A good Conscience will make us to put on Bowels and to compassionate Mankind 't will hinder us from Offending them and hardening them against Religion 't will make us pray for and endeavour the gaining and saving of them It will cause our Light so to shine before Men that they seeing our good Works may Glorifie our Father which is in Heaven and at length they may be brought to desire to become themselves of the Number of his Children I have done with the Reasons of the Doctrine I come now to the Application VSE 1. Shall be of Reproof If it should be the care of all to have a good Conscience alas whose heart may not smite him who has not Reason to acknowledge that a sharp Reproof is but justly due Conscience in these last and worst days seems to have left the Earth and truly till there are better Consciences there may not be better days or if there should be better times they would but prove a Judgment For if Mens Hearts are stupid under Adversity Prosperity is not likely to awaken them The Lord looks down from Heaven
qualitate depositi Sic sic in domo propriâ à propriâ familiâ habeo accusatores testes judices tortores Bernard Meditat. devot cap. 13. pag. mihi 1060. My sins I am not able to conceal because where ever I go my Conscience is continually with me and carries with it what I have put in it whether it be good or evil It keeps for me living it will restore to me dying what I have delivered to be kept by it If I do evil Conscience is present if I seem to do good and am lifted up with Pride Conscience is present It accompanies me all my Life long 't will follow me after Death and will be my inseparable either Glory or Confusion according to the Quality of what it has Observed in me Thus thus in my own House in my own Soul I have Accusers Witnesses Judges Tormentors if I dare to give way unto Iniquity 4. Though Conscience may seem to be quite banished and for the present does no more its Office than if there were no such thing yet this Exiled and Banished thing will at last return or to speak more properly this Conscience that was imagined to be in a dead sleep or altogether careless will shew that it has been too much present with the guilty all along These six particulars are here to be Observed 1. Some great Affliction may awaken Conscience When the Widow with whom Elijah sojourned her Son fell sick and his sickness was so sore that there was no breath left in him her Conscience was exceedingly startled and she said to Elijah What have I to do with thee O thou Man of God art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my Son 1 Kings 17. 17 18. The Locusts which were so very grievous that came over all the Land of Egypt extorted a Confession from Pharaoh's Conscience though his Heart was before hardned He called for Moses and Aaron in haste and said I have sinned against the Lord and against you now therefore forgive I pray thee my sin this once and intreat the Lord your God that he may take away from me this Death onely Exod. 10. 16 17. How does Affliction give new Eyes and make sin appear in other colours than before it seemed to have When the Body of a sinner is first struck with a Disease and the mind apprehends this Sickness may prove deadly and that now being Arrested the sinner must quickly appear before the Judgment-seat Ohthen what a commotion is there in the Soul and how fierce and clamourous is the Conscience which before was deeply silent 2. Conscience may awake after a fall into some scandalous sin When the long covered Hypocrisie is detected and the sly sinner which waxed worse and worse and yet was secure at length does commit some sin that the World crys shame on Oh then Conscience may joyn in with the VVorlds clamors (r) Non aurem solam percutit iracundia criminantis verùm etiam conscientiam mordet veritas criminis August l. 3. contra lit Petilian Tom. 7. and tell him that now his sin has found him out and that Heaven has revealed his iniquity and that because he has despised God he has been suffered to do that which has made himself to be lightly esteemed 3. Conscience may awake at the hearing of a powerful Sermon The messengers of the Lord are commanded to lift up their Voices like a Trumpet and the design is to startle Conscience and that sinners may be made sensible of and to know their Transgressions Isaiah 58. 1. God speaks thus to the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 6. 11. Smite with thine hand and stamp with thy foot and say Alas for all the evil abominations of the House of Israel These gestures this earnestness and crying out of abominations is used to affect the Hearts which before were stupid And truly the VVord of God has oftentimes taken impression even upon those whose Souls were more than ordinarily senseless The Apostles hearers were mockers and yet the VVord being set home they were prickt at the Heart and said Men and Brethren what shall we do Act. 2. 37. Now when the VVord does awaken the Conscience there is more ground to hope that God has a design to work a saving change and that the troubles of Spirit are but as it were the pangs which fore-run the new Birth 4. Conscience may awake when Death is within view I grant indeed that 't is too common for the ungodly to dy stupid and that there may be no bands in their death Psal 73. but yet experience shews that the approach of death does also fill many ungodly ones with horrour and amazement What made Balaam to cry out let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23. 10. Surely he had pre-apprehensions how terrible a thing 't is for the ungodly to dye When nature is almost spent and the earthly Tabernacle is tottering and falling to the ground when Physicians are at a losse and friends stand by weeping and 't is whispered in the room Alas he cannot live many hours to an end Ah then Conscience may wake in terrible fright and the sinner may be confounded and as death comes with its sting so it may prove indeed the King of terrours 5. To be sure at judgment Conscience will be awaked thoroughly though sinners possibly may look death yet they cannot look the Judge in the face without being daunted He will strike terrour into the Hearts of those sinners that were most obstinate and unbelieving VVe read that at the great day the Books will be opened Rev. 20. 12. The Book of Scripture will be opened for by that every one must be judged The Word that I have spoken sayes Christ the same shall judge at the last day The book of Conscience will also be opened and what things are found written there will be taken notice of and must be answered for No Conscience at that day can be stupid The Heavens passing away with a great noise and the Elements melting with fervent heat and the Earth and the works therein being all in a flame every unjustified and unsanctified sinners Heart will smite him and as the Judge will condemn him so he will be condemned by his own Conscience Chrysostome (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Epist ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 advises every one to look into his own Conscience presently and to be strict in self-searching that he may not be condemned with the world for 't is a dreadful Tribunal which all must appear before and the trial of every one will be thorow and impartial 6. Conscience will be with the ungodly in Hell to all Eternity Could we go down indeed to the gates of Hell and have some discourse with the damned there and ask them concerning their Consciences they would answer that a great part of Hell lyes there and that they feel within
and the Soul is still under the Dominion and Power of it 6. The Consciences of the regenerate are not good in respect of Legal Perfection and Exactness The first Adam before his Apostacy was able to reach this Exactness which the Law required he was able to Obey the Law of God without Offending in a tittle Christ also the second Adam did fulfill the Law without the least Transgression all his days He was like unto his Brethren in other regards but sin is excepted Heb. 4. 15. So Heb. 7. 26. Such an High-Priest became us who is Holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens But truly the best of Saints fall short Surely they are unacquainted with the Law of God that imagine they are able perfectly to Obey it it may justly be suspected that they put short glosses upon it and then fancy they fulfill it but questionless they are ignorant of its strictness and Spirituality As 't is said of God himself that he is of purer eyes than to behold Evil and cannot look upon Iniquity Habak 1. 13. So it may be said of his Law 't is purer than to allow any evil than to approve of the least Iniquity No Conscience therefore in a Legal sence can be affirmed to be good for the Holy Ghost does not stick to say There is not a Just man upon Earth that does good and sins not Eccles 7. 20. The Consciences of Saints see sin but in part therefore David crys out Cleanse me from secret sins who can understand his Errors Psal 19. 12. and Psal 139. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting And as the Consciences of the best are capable of more light than they have so more purity and tenderness may also be attained 7. Conscience may be good according to the Law of Grace though sin is not totally purged away This very Apostle Paul which says he had a good Conscience before God does yet say Not as though I ha◠attained or were already perfect Phil. 3. 12. Nay he does acknowledge that sin did dwell in him he complains of a Law in his Members and crys out O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this death Rom. 7. 20 23 24. Conscience is good in a Gospel-sence though sin remain as long as it does not Reign in us and we are no longer willing to Obey it in the Lusts of it Now if you ask me in what regard Conscience is good notwithstanding some remainders of evil I Answer 1. Conscience is good comparatively how vast a difference between Saints and Sinners How careful the one how careless the other How are the former afraid of offending God! how are the latter presumptuous and bold How are their Hearts set in them to do evil When Noah is said to be a Just Man and Perfect in his Generation Gen. 6. 9. This is hinted that he was Just compared with the men of his Generation and his Righteousness was the more to be admired since he kept himself unpolluted by their wickedness 2. Conscience may be said to be good sincerely when in the spirit of a man there is no guile as the Psalmist says Psal 32. 2. When there is no sin but the soul consents to be delivered from it and no Grace but the soul desires to be enriched with it and no Command but 't is willing to Obey it and where it falls short 't is grieved and because it has not attained therefore 't is continually pressing towards the Mark and perfecting Holiness in the fear of God (*) Perfecti et non perfecti Phil. 3. Perfecti viatores nondum perfecti possessores et noveritis quod perfectos viatores dicat qui jam in viâ ambulant Quid est ambulare Breviter dico proficere ne forte non intelligatis pigrius ambuletis Semper tibi displiceas quod es sivis pervenire ad id quod nondum es Nam ubi tibi placuisti ibi remansisti Si autem dixeris sufficit periisti Semper adde semper ambula semper profic Noli in viâ remanere noli retro redire noli deviare Aug. De verbis Apostoli Ser. 15. pag. mihi 338. Tom. 10. 3. Conscience may be said to be good so as to be accepted We Serve a very gracious Lord who is not extream to mark our Offences though we come short in point of performance yet if he sees we unfeignedly desire and purpose to please him such is his Fatherly indulgence that he does accept us not according to what we have not but according to what we have I know O my God says David that thou tryest the Heart and hast pleasure in uprightness 1 Chron. 29. 17. If upon tryal of the heart he finds 't is turned towards himself he takes delight in it 4. Notwithstanding many failings which are un-allowed of and mourned over Conscience may be said to be good so as to be rewarded Evangelical good works though they are not meritorious yet they are rewardable therefore a reward is spoken of and assured in Scripture to Believers Rev. 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give to every Man according as his work shall be God promises to be himself a Reward to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. and so he will be to all the Children of Abraham Christ will Reward them with Salvation that do Obey him Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that do Obey him If Conscience bear us witness that we are diligent in Trading with those Talents which are delivered to us we may be assured that at last we shall hear Well done good and Faithful Servants Enter you into the Joy of your Lord. We may wonder exceedingly that such a Reward should be promised to a good Conscience and shall we not wonder much more when that Reward is Actually received Since our Obedience is so lame and our goodness so imperfect But we must remember that the Saints imperfections are covered by Christ and in him all the promises of God and surely then the promises of Reward are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. And therefore Eternal Life which is the Reward promised and expected is also called a free-gift and said to be given through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 23. These things being thus premised I am to tell you what a good Conscience is Bernard speaking of a good Conscience does very well and also wittily affirm (x) Faelix Conscientia in quâ veritas misericordia obviaverunt sibi justitia pax osculatae sunt Bern. de Int. Dom pag 1060. That Conscience is truly good where Mercy and Truth are met together and Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other The truth of the Gospel does reveal the mercy of God
(g) Philosophers have measured mountains Fathom'd the depth of Seas of States and Kings Walkt with a staff to heaven traced fountains But there are two vast spacious things The which to measure it doth more behove Yet few there are that sound them Sin and Love Hebert Agony pag. 29. No Creature can fully understand it onely God who knows how good himself is knows how evil sin is which is directly opposite and contrary to him But though we cannot sound the bottom of this evil no more then we can dig to the Earths Centre yet much is discovered by the VVord of God Sin is worse then the Devil for it made him a Devil Take sin from the Devil he will be a glorious Angel if sin get into a glorious Angel 't wil turn him into a Devil presently Sin will make us like the Devil if we go on in it and bring us into the same state of unalterable misery But let us view sin a little with relation to God 'T is a daring of his Power and Presence a bold challenging of the Almighty to do his worst 'T is an affront of his Majesty a casting off of his Authority Let us break his bands asunder and cast away his cords from us Psal 2. 3. 'T is a robbing him of his Glory which is so dear to him and which he is so unwilling to give to another 'T is a slighting of his Goodness which is so vast and large that it should attract the Love and Hearts of all and which alone can satisfie and be beatifical to the Soul of Man 'T is an injury to his Justice contrary to his Holiness denies his Truth makes him a Liar for neither Promises nor Threatnings are believed Nay Sin strikes at the very Being of God for if hating our Brother be murthering of him Ah! what is hatred of God to be called No wonder that the Lord is so angry at sin and turns those that will by no means turn from it into Hell and makes them for ever to bewail their Rebellion against him If Sin were but rightly understood Conscience would be tender of offending we should not dare to be so venturous upon so great an evil Would you grieve for sin cry out What have I done would you be tender and afraid to sin when tempted say What am I about to do how much shall I do against God how much shall I wrong my own Soul 2. That Conscience may be tender see him that is invisible Moses did thus by the eye of Faith and this made him so tender that he refused to be called the son of Pharoahs Daughter he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt and chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin which are but for a season Heb. 11. 24. 27. The thoughts of God do disturb the stupid Conscience therefore wicked men care not to speak or hear or think of him But Believers endeavour to imitate David who said I have set the Lord alwayes before me and this makes and keeps Conscience very tender Look up often to God and the frequent viewing of him will encrease both Fear and Love David having studied well the Omni-presence of God and perceived that in every place God was perpetually by him he desires to have his heart and thoughts searched and tried and every wicked way in him discovered and Conscience is so tender that he dares and cares to go in no way but the way that is everlasting Psal 139. 23 24. See God in every ordinance then Conscience will tell you he is jealous about his worship that he is a Great King and hath said Cursed be the deceiver who having a male in his flock voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Mal. 1. 14. See God in every providence then Conscience will tell you that mercies are not to be abused nor consumed upon your lusts and that afflictions are sent to take away your Sin See God in every Temptation how easily then will Conscience silence the Tempter by telling him 't is not safe to provoke the Lord to his very face 't is not wisdom to forfeit his Favour to incurr his Anger for such poor things as Satan offers his greatest offers are but poor and oh how far does the Lord outbid him 3. That Conscience may be tender Bewail the stupidness of it and cry to have it cured Follow God with restless importunity Lord enlighten my eyes and awaken my Conscience lest I sleep the sleep of death He will be angry with you if you should think that you can cure your selves of this malady you cannot please this Physician better than to make use of him You have great encouragement to seek unto him for he has expresly said A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the Heart of stone out of your flesh and I will give you an Heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. The stone in the heart and the stupidness of the Conscience are diseases near a kin nay the one does include the other a stony Heart implies a senseless Conscience and an Heart of flesh a Tender-conscience Hope in this word of Promise He is faithful that has made it Never any yet have found the Lord backward to heal that were indeed weary of their Distempers 4. That Conscience may be tender Eye the examples of Saints whose tenderness in Scripture is commended How tender was Joseph though his Mistress tempted him and he a Servant though he was a young man and Single though opportunity offered it self and there was a great probability of secrecy in reference to his Master though he was likely to be accused of an attempt to Ravish if he did not consent to commit Adultery and hereby his Masters rage might endanger his life Yet Conscience was so tender that he did not dare to do so great a wickedness O Joseph though thou hadst a beautiful outside yet thy inside thy Heart was much more amiable How tender was Job there was none like him in the Earth he feared God and eschewed evil and throughout chap. 31. you may read with what care and Conscience he Eschewed it He was so watchful against uncleanness that he made a Covenant with his eyes he was so just that he did not despise the cause of his own Servants He was so Merciful that he carried himself like a Father to the Poor and like a guide and Husband to the Widdow He was so free from revenge that he rejoyced not at the destruction of him that hated him neither did he lift up himself when evil found him Unto these Scripture instances I shall add another concerning one of the Fathers k He that writes the life of Anselmn relates this passage and ushers it in with this Preface My Conscience bears me witness that I lye not He feared nothing in the World more than
break the Rock so does the Word the the Heart though never so hard and senseless 't is compared also to fire because like fire it does both give light and refine and purifie the Conscience Yeare Clean sayes Christ but how through the word that I have spoken unto you John 15 3. Let the Word of Christ therefore dwell in you richly 't will be an Excellent and effectual Antidote against sin and temptation when your Hearts stand in awe of the Word of God as David's did how will it preserve you from defilement 2. Affliction is like a Furnace to refine That Conscience may be pure Affliction is to be improved The Rod of Affliction though it seem to be dry and withered yet like Aaron's 't will bud and blossom and bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness unto them that are Exercised thereby And before the Apostle informs us that 't is God's design in Afflicting to refine and purifie v. 9 10. We have had Fathers of our Flesh who Corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live For they verily for a few days chastened 〈◊〉 after their own pleasure but He for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness The smart of Affliction does help very much to awaken Conscience and to discover the evil and danger of sin and then sin is found to be ten thousand times more bitter when we reflect upon it than ever was fansied to be sweet in the time of Temptation We may indeed with submission pray against Affliction and intreat that gentler ways may be used to sanctifie us and we may take the more comfort and our sincerity will be the more Evident when milder Methods are effectual One of our English Poets speaks Excellently to this purpose (*) Herbert Discipline pag. 173 174. Throw away thy Rod Throw away thy Wrath. O my God Take the gentle path For my hearts desire Vnto thine is bent I aspire To a full consent Not a word or look I affect to own But thy Book And thy Book alone Though I fail I weep Though I halt in pace Yet I creep To the Throne of Grace Then let wrath remove Love will do the deed For with Love Stony hearts will bleed Love is swift of foot Love's a Man of War And can shoot And can hit from far Who can scape his bow That which wrought on thee Brought thee low Needs must work on me Throw away thy Rod Though Man frailties hath Thou art God Throw away thy Wrath. But if the Father of Spirits sees it meet and needful to use the Discipline of the Rod it concerns us to hear the Voice of it and understand the meaning and this it always speaks and that very plainly that our Consciences and indeed all within us should be more clean and Holy 3. The Blood of Christ purges the Conscience from dead works This is the Fountain which in the Gospel is set open for Sâ—n and for Uncleanness 'T is He who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 5. So Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit Offered up himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Though our Lord aimed at our Justification and the Remission of sin when he shed his Blood and Sacrificed himself for us yet he had our sanctification and cleansing also in his eye Upon this Account the Apostle Peter tells us That he bear our sins in his own Body on the Tree that we being dead unto sins might live unto Righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 24. And we read Eph. 5. 25 26 27. that Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might Sanctifie and cleanse it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blemish Apply this Blood unto your selves be perswaded that it has a sanctifying vertue and pray for purity as that which is a great part of Christ's purchase as well as your own Perfection 4. If you would have Conscience pure you must not resist but yield unto the Spirit of Christ 'T is his Work not onely to shew sin but to slay it he convinces of sin and also Mortifies the deeds of the Body Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do Mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live The Power of sin is great and this Power is strengthned by the Principalities and Powers of Darkness who do endeavour to keep up sins Dominion So that if the Spirit of the Lord did not shew the exceeding greatness of his Power our Hearts and Consciences would still remain defiled we should never have our Fruit unto Holiness nor the end everlasting Life I have done with that sixth particular The goodness of Conscience lies in the purity of it 7. The goodness of Conscience lies in the calmness and peace of it What the Apostle speaks concerning the wisdom which is from above That 't is first pure and then peaceable may be applied unto a good Conscience first 't is pure then peacable there may indeed be purity without peace but there cannot be true peace without purity There is a false peace which is too commonly found in the ungodly and the Hypocrite this peace sin does not disturb but increase and by this peace the strong man armed does keep possession But true peace is peculiar unto them that are sanctified and when once they have attained unto it they are brought as it were within the Suburbs of Heaven and see the dawning of that Light which is everlasting That you may the better discern this true peace of Conscience I shall set it forth in these particulars 1. True peace of Conscience is founded upon the Blood of God So Christs Blood is called for as he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh so he is expresly affirmed to be over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. There could be no remission of sin without shedding of blood and no other blood would serve the turn the blood of Bulls and goats would not take away sin Heb. 10. 4. Nay supposing that Mans blood had been shed for us it would not have been expiatory Shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my Soul Mic. 6. 7. Nothing but what satisfies the justice of God will satisfie and pacifie the Conscience and bring it to a well-grounded tranquillity but 't is the blood of Christ alone that satisfies divine justice Conscience therefore can have no true rest till that blood be applied Luthers Conscience
second Conscience its acting would be insignificant it would be little or not at all heeded nay it self would become dull and heedless 2. The Spirits motions do differ from the impulses of Conscience Where the Spirit of the Lord does move more immediately his motions are with greater power and with greater Liberty The ungodly themselves are not altogether strangers unto the Power of the Spirit How doth it check them and restrain them and dam up the stream of Corruption for a season as long as 't is put forth but chiefly this power is apparent in them that are effectually called The Spirit impelling them to come to God does bring them quite home his impulse shall fetch them out of the farthest Country and bring them to their Fathers house Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is power and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. The Spirit not only moves us to obey but also enlarges our hearts that we may run the way of the Lords commandments 3. The Spirits Convictions differ from the Accusations of Conscience as the Cause and Effect as the Antecedent and the Consequent The Spirit first sets sin in order before our eyes and then Conscience does accuse and reproach us because of it And where the Spirit does by a more immediate operation give a sight of sin and bring it to remembrance Oh how is the heart affected What self-abhorrency and abasement what Sorrow and Shame what Knocking of the Breast and Smiting upon the Thigh is there Surely sayes Ephraim after I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my Thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my Youth Jer. 31. 19. Now 't was the Spirit that did thus instruct and turn him Thus Ezek 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you And it follows ver 31. Then shall ye remember your evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations 4. The Spirits witness concerning our adoption differs from the witness of our own Spirits from the testimony of our own Consciences The Apostle speaks very plainly of a twofold witness that of Our Spirits and that of Gods Spirit Rom 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with out Spirits that we are the children of God This witness of the Spirit does not lye onely in his declaring in the Scriptures what kind of Persons are the children of God but he also helps Believers to see that they are such kind of persons and then enables them to draw the conclusion that they are Children and Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-heirs with Christ unto the incorruptible and undefiled inheritance Now the difference between the witnesse of the Spirit and that of Conscience touching our adoption is in these particulars 1. The Spirits witness is more clear Consciences more conjectural As we see things ten thousand time more plainly by the Light of the Sun than by a dim Lamp that burns by us and yet by that Lamp we may see something 2. The Spirits witness causes greater Boldness and Confidence than that of Conscience When the Spirit of Adoption is sent into the heart it makes Believers to come with Boldness to the Throne of Grace and to cry Abba Father that is Father Father the word is doubled to shew with what confidence the Spirit makes it to be spoken Gal. 4. 6. Then they draw nigh with high Hopes and raised Expectations that their Father will deal bountifully give liberally and though they open their mouths never so wide that yet they shall be filled with his fulness 3. The Spirits testimony is more firm and not so easily questioned that of Conscience is more apt to be cavill'd at by Satan If I see a thing plainly in the day time I know I see it and though many should question whether I saw or no yet I make no question nay though some distracted persons that are kept in darkness and chains should say they see when they don't yet I know I see when I do The Spirits testimony does make things thus clear And the objections of the Accuser of the Brethren 't is evident they are but cavils Thus says the Apostle We have known and believed the love that God hath to us 1 Joh. 4. 16. But the testimony of Conscience Satan will be more bold to question and will start an hundred things whereby a weaker Faith may be puzled and the heart still kept under doubts and fears 4. The Spirits testimony produces joy that of Conscience at best onely a calmness and tranquillity I confesse the Apostle sayes the testimony of Conscience was his rejoycing but you must know that he had also received the witness and earnest of the Spirit so that he had more than Consciences bare testimony The joy that the Spirit creates by his assuring Believers of their adoption is unspeakable and full of glory 'T is such as no Tongue can utter and no Heart can conceive it but such as have had a taste and experience of it 'T is not meerly a negative thing or freedom from trouble but positive and carries with it such a delight as is not to be found in the highest sensuality The Malefactor is at peace when he receives a pardon but if he be not only pardoned but Preferred this causes joy The Spirit lets the Soul see 't is pardoned and preferr'd to be a Child of God an Heir of Glory and gives a taste how Gracious the Lord is this causes not only peace but joy and triumph of Spirit in the God of Salvation I come now to the third thing I proposed to give you the reasons why it should be every ones great care to have good Conscience 1. We can have no Communion with God without a good Conscience unless our Hearts are sprinkled from an evil Conscience we cannot draw nigh to him neither will he draw nigh to us Though we say with never so great confidence that we have Fellowship with God if Conscience knows that we walk in darknesse and we allow our selves in the works of darkness the Holy Ghost gives us the lye to our face and we do not the Truth 1 John 1. 6. There cannot be a question asked of greater importance than this wherein does mans happinesse lye and the truest answer unto this question is Mans felicity does lye in Fellowship with God Therefore the happinesse of the triumphant Saints is so full because they are admitted unto so near Communion with God Therefore the Misery of the damned is so great because they are banished from the Lords presence and despair of ever coming neer to him or enjoying of him And therefore the happiness of militant Saints is imperfect because the remainders of sin in them do hinder them from enjoying so much of God as otherwise they might enjoy But where Conscience is evil there is
be so unfaithful as seldom to admonish yet at length 't will awake and then 't will be found that it knowes and remembers all misdoings The Regenerate likewise have a Conscience which is enlightned and purged and renewed by the Blood and VVord and Spirit of our Lord Jesus 3. As 't is clear from Scripture that there is a Conscience in Man so 't is evident by experience And here I shall make an appeal unto every ones sense and observation in three following questions 1. What is it that speaks to you when (*) Nemo minus solus quam cum solus alone and tells you that there is an All-seeing God but Conscience (l) NOTE Whenever Conscience performs its office aright t is inlightned and acted by the Spirit of God The Spirit therefore is to be acknowledged for without him Conscience would have no light or life or power or feeling 'T is this which brings to your remembrance that the Lord who is so holy is alwayes present that no darkness or retired corner can hide you from him but he compasses your path and your lying down and is acquainted with all your ways 2. What is it but Conscience that forbids the yeilding to temptations even unto the most secret sins Secret places can hide the Sinner from the eye of man and there are some Sins namely heart wickednesses which man can take no cognizance of and yet we are checkt when we are giving way to these which shewes there is a Conscience as well as a God privy to them When Satan and a deceitful Heart do plead for Sin and perswade to it by this argument that never any are likely to know it yet even then conscience declares against it and cryes out Oh do not that abominable thing which God hates 'T was well said by one of the Ancients to the Gentiles Vos conscios timetis nos conscientiam You are afraid lest others should be conscious to what you do we fear even our own Consciences 3. What is it but Conscience that impresses a fear of a Judgment which is to come (m) Beatus erit quisquis non sine memoriâ divini judicii omnia gesserit Hillar in Psal 118. Rythm Bernard Expavesco miser multùm Judicis severi vultum Quem latebit nil occultum Nec manebit quid inultum Et quis nostrûm non timebit Quando Judex apparebit Ante quem ignis ardebit Peccatores qui delebit It many times with a great deal of Power does mind us of such Scriptures God has appointed a day wherein he will Judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17. 31. We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. And Conscience knowing these Terrors of the Lord perswade Men to Repentance and to labour that whether present or absent they may be accepted of him 'T was a saying of Tertullian Conscientia est prae-judicium extremi judicii Conscience is a Judging before the last Judgment but still it tells of and referrs to the last Judgment that hereby the Heart may be over-awed 4. What is it but Conscience which urges unto secret Duties the Omission of which the World can take no notice of There is a Monitor within us which tells us that our Father is and sees in secret and will reward openly such as secretly and sincerely seek him Mat. 6. When our Hearts the desperate wickedness whereof is not quite cured in the best of us draw back from Prayer in the Closet Conscience then presses to it and pleads the Command the Advantage what an Evidence 't is of uprightness to be often with God alone This same Monitor likewise puts us upon the searching into and study of the Scripture for 't is the Character and property of the Blessed Man to have his Delight in the Law of the Lord and in that Law to Meditate Day and Night Psal 1. 2. 5. What is it but Conscience that applies Truths particularly which are more generally delivered in the Ministry of the Gospel I grant indeed that this application is the Work of the Spirit of God but the Conscience of Man is made use of herein by the Holy Spirit The Preacher shoots a great many Arrows The Spirit does direct them to particular Persons and Conscience takes notice where the Arrow sticks The same Language which was in the Prophet Nathan's Mouth to David after his so foul a fall is in the Mouth of Conscience The Word speaks in the general The Soul that sins shall dye the Wages of Sin is Death But then Conscience crys out Thou art the man that hast sinned and therefore Death and Destruction will quickly over-take thee unless there be a coming by Faith unto a Saviour and a turning out of thy Destructive ways 6. What is it but Conscience which does comment upon Afflictions Folly is bound up in thy heart says Conscience therefore thou feelest the Rod to drive it far from thee Thou art Worldly-minded therefore thou meetest with Losses to wean thee from that which if still doated on will both deceive and ruine thee Thou art too much like a slothful Servant therefore says Conscience Affliction is sent to make thee mend thy pace and follow them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises (n) Tempestuous times Amaze poor mortals and object their crimes Herbert When Joseph's Brethren were all put into Ward in Egypt their Consciences commented upon their Restraint and brought their injurious handling of their Brother to remembrance Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us 7. What is it but Conscience that traces us in all our Actions Conscience takes notice what Principles we are Acted by what Ends we aim at it Observes both the Matter and the Manner of our Actions Conscience Examines whether Love to the Lord constrain us to his Work whether the pleasing honouring and enjoying of God be our great Design whether our Hearts and Affections be in our Services After thy Praying and Hearing and Receiving are ended doest thou not find something within thee running over all thy performances and calling thee to Account whether thou hast Prayed with Faith and Fervency whether thou hast heard believingly and with attention whether thou hast received worthily This is Conscience 8. What is it but Conscience which haunts us upon miscarriages It s Mouth is full of Reproaches and these Reproaches are unanswerable After sins especially presumptuous ones have been committed there is a secret gnawing within and that is the Worm of Conscience (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch De his qui sero à Numine puniuntur pag. mihi 554. Plutarch compares the pleasure of sin which is
draw us after God as well as the Reins of fear to restrain us from sin It brings Mercies to remembrance all which and oh how great is the Number of them are as so many Obligations to Obedience and withal assures us that God is such a Master that if we follow him fully we shall not want renewed and multiplied encouragements in his Service What Nathan spake unto David after his sin Conscience does speak after the same manner before to keep us within the bounds of our Duty God has delivered he has loaded thee with benefits and if these are too little he is willing to give more and therefore leave him not but cleave unto him All these ways does Conscience take to move us to do the will of God and indeed especially at some times its impulses are very vehement and strong it fills its mouth with Arguments and evidently lays before us the unreasonableness and danger of sin and uses a rest less importunity to disswade us from it and if Conscience notwithstanding all this be stifled hereby we shall vastly increase our guilt and our sinning will become by far the greater provocation 4. As 't is the Office of Conscience to impell us to comply with the will of God so also to bear Witness concerning our selves and Actions As it tells us what we should do so what we do it exactly observes 'T is very evident from Scripture that this witness-bearing is a main part of the work of Conscience Rom. 9. 1. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost So 2 Cor. 1. 12. the Apostle speaks of the testimony of his Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had had his conversation in the World Conscience is such a witness as is more than a thousand other witnesses for 't is privy to all we do it will many times cry out against us when others flatter us (g) Magna vis est Conscientiae Judicis magna in utramque partem ut neque timeant qui nihil commiserint poenam semper ante oculos versari putent qui peccârint Cicero Orat. pro T. An. Milone pag. 553. And if it testifies good concerning us it will not be controuled by mens censures nor by Afflictions which are seeming tokens of Gods Anger Job's burthen was very heavy his griefs and calamities were more weighty than the Sand so that his words were swallowed up His Friends charge him with Hypocrisie and yet Conscience witnessing for him does prevail Job 27. 5. Till I dye I will not remove my integrity from me and his Heart winessing to his Righteousnesse and sincerity he goes higher Job 16 12. Also now behold my witness is in Heaven and my Record is on High Three things are implied in this witnessing of Conscience 1. A recollection of what we have done It has a notable faculty in running back upon the footsteps which we have taken (h) Cambdens Remains pag. 26. The old English word for Conscience was In-wit because it knows whatever is within us whatever is done by us Those which we read of Jer. 8. 6. who when God hearkned and heard did not speak aright did not say What have we done 't is a sign their Hearts were hardned and their Consciences for the present cast into a dead sleep But here I must say that Conscience though asleep is like Noah who knew what his younger Son had done to him and how he had looked upon his nakednesse when he was asleep Conscience when it wakes will understand all that was done before and the sooner it begins to reflect the better will it discharge its duty 2. This witnessing of Conscience implies a comparing of what we have done with that rule which God has prescribed us What was feigned concerning Janus that ancient King of Italy that he had two faces may truly be affirmed concerning Conscience with one face it looks forward towards the VVord which is the rule of Righteousness and with the other it looks backwards towards our selves and then inquires whether there be that purity and uprightness of Heart and that living soberly righteously and godly which the VVord does so expresly call for 3. The witnessing of Conscience implies its bringing in evidence pro or con for or against us according as we have or have not taken heed to that rule which whosoever walks according to Peace and Mercy shall be upon them Gal. 6. 16. The witnesse of Conscience is an accusation upon doing Evil but an apology upon doing well 1. This witnesse of Conscience is an accusation upon doing Evil. Conscience does charge the soul with guilt and this is a very heavy charge where sinners are not without or past feeling The Conscience of David when Nathan came to him presently seconded Nathan The Prophet accused him Thou art the Man his Conscience also sides with the Prophet and he accuses himself I have sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 12. 13. An accusing Conscience made David so sensible of his need of mercy and so earnest that he might obtain it the sight of his sins caused most deep dejection of spirit The thirty eight psalm is called a Psalm of David to bring to remembrance His conscience was busie in reflecting and accusing when he wrote it and how does he complain v. 3 There is not any rest in my bones because of my sin for mine iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long v. 4. 6. There are six things to be observed concerning the accusations of Conscience 1. Conscience accuses undeniably it does not charge the sinner upon hear-say or upon surmise but upon its own knowledge I accuse of nothing sayes Conscience but what I saw done with my own eyes and when I saw it I wrote it down with all the aggravating circumstances of it in my own Book of remembrance and here you may find it registred You may as well deny that you see at all when you see most plainly as deny Consciences accusing testimony We find therefore in Scripture that when Conscience has brought to remembrance sins committed a great while before its testimony even then could not be denyed Josephs Brethren many years after their cruelty towards their Brother cry out We are Verily guilty Conscience accused and they could not deny it Job's Conscience told him of the sins of his youth when he was grown up to riper years and he acknowledges them Job 13. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my Youth 2. Conscience accuses boldly as 't is said of Death that it comes as easily to the Princes Palace as the Beggars Cottage so it may be affirmed concerning conscience 't will come and speak as plainly to the highest as to the meanest 'T is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a respecter of
to sin We have often heard him profess that if 〈◊〉 the one hand he should see the horrour of sin and on the other the pains of Hell and must necessarily be plunged into one of the two he would chuse Hell rather than sin Another thing also which may seem no less wonderful he was wont to say He had rather be in Hell being innocent and free from sin than being defiled and polluted possess the Kingdom of Heaven This tenderness of others may make us wonder at our selves and if seriously considered might be a means to prevent our making so bold with sin any more 't is not good in dally with Divine wrath nor to play with Hell fire 5. That Conscience may be tender avoid every thing that is of a stupifying Nature Whatever does defile â— (h) Nihil in mundo quantum peccare timebat Saepe illum 〈◊〉 veritatis testimonio profitentem audivimus Quod si hinc peccâ—â—â— horrorem hinc inferni dolorem corpor aliter cerneret necessaâ—â— uni eorum immergi deberet priùs infernum quà m peccatum aâ—â—â—teret Aliud quoque non minus for san aliquibus mirum dicereâ— lebat viz. malle se puram à peccato innocentem gehennam â—â—bere quà m peccati sorde pollutum coelorum regna tenere De â—â— Ansel l. 2. in Oper. Anselm apt to harden Sins against knowledge that are committed presumptuously how do they waste the Conscience when Satan can draw us to these he gives us such a blow as stuns us David after his folly with Bathsheba how stupid was he after he had defiled the Wife how strangely did he carry it towards Vriah the Husband And thus stupid he does continue till Nathan the Prophet is sent to startle him One would have thought that assoon as ever the Prophet proposed the parable of the Ew-lamb that Davids Conscience should have made application but it was so stupid that it did not till Nathan deals plainly with him for his sin and his ingratitude Oh let every one cry out Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins let not them have Dominion over me Psal 19. 13. 6. That Conscience may be tender Remember how smarting sin has been to others See how it has put others upon the wrack that you may grow wise by their harms What made Pashur to have his name changed to Magormissabib but because sin made him a terrour to himself and to all that were round about him 'T was sin brought Cain to such a condition that he cryed out my punishment is greater than I can bear Gen. 4. 13. Nay how have the Saints themselves been wounded by Sin and groaned under the burden of it My sore ran in the Night sayes the Psalmist my Soul refused to be comforted I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed Selah Psal 77. 2 3. So Psal 88. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with all thy Waves Hark how the Prophet Jeremiah cryes out in the Name of the Church I am the man that hath seen affliction by the Rod of his wrath he hath brought me into darkness be turneth his hand against me all the day he hath hedged me about that I cannot get out he hath made my chain heavy also when I cry and shoâ—â— he shutteth out my Prayer He was unto me as a bear lying in wait as a Lyon in secret places he hath filled me with bitterness he hath made me drunken with Worm-wood Oh let Conscience think of this darkness and chaine and gall and VVormwood which are the dismal effects of sin and so be afraid of it 7. That Conscience may be tender Let Death and Judgement be still within view I am perswaded that was one reason why wickedness and security was so great in the old VVorld because it being ordinary for men to live seven or eight or nine hundred years they did banish the thoughts of their latter end but be you wise to consider it The Apostle Paul professes concerning himself I dye daily 1 Cor. 15. 31. that is he did not only dye more to sin and to the World every day but he continually lookt upon himself as mortal and at no time did he grow secure as if he were out of the reach of Death It argued some tenderness in the Consciences of the (*) Herodot l. â— Egyptians of old whose custom it was at the end of their Banquets to bring in the Image of a dead carcass made of Wood and to carry it about unto the guests and to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look unto this when thou aâ—â— Feasting for after thou art Dead thou shalt be like it 〈◊〉 the Lord did but teach you and teach you he would 〈◊〉 you were desirous to learn that holy Arithmetidâ— whereby you might be able to number your days aright you would apply your Hearts unto Wisdome Psal 90. 12. Death would have a mighty influence upon your Consciences especially if that which follows after judgement were believingly considered Conscience would stop thee when about to sin if it ask thee and thou dost think of these two questions seriously If I sin when I come to dye will it not be matter of trouble to me When I am judged how shall I answer for it many Consciences awake at Death all must needs awake at Judgment the Meditation of Death and Judgment would help much to awake them immediately 8. That Conscience may be tender meditate much upon Eternity Our Thoughts may endeavour to reach Eternity but they are quickly swallowed up and lost in the vastness of it Eternity is the word of all others that has an awakening sound VVhat is not to be done and suffered for the obtaining of Eternal Joyes How weak should all arguments be to perswade us to that which will bring us to ETERNAL Woes O Conscience get this word into thy Mouth and be alwayes ringing it in sinners Ears Eternity Eternity then thou thy self wilt be more tender and wilt also bear the greater sway O tell all that time is short and the fashion of this world passes away 1 Cor. 7. 29 30. and that 't is madness which nothing can be an Hyperbole to set forth when they may be happy for ever not to consent to their own happinesse and when they are warned to flee from Everlasting misery willfully to throw themselves into it Thus of that fourth particular the goodness of Conscience lies in the tenderness of it 5. The goodness of Conscience lies in its faithfulness in Witness-bearing As we are not to bear false Witness concerning our Neighbour so neither ought Conscience to bear false witness concerning our selves Conscience must not be like Fame Tà m ficti pravique tenax quà m nuncia veri Speaking more Ordinarily what is feigned than what is true God whose Officer Conscience is is a God of Truth and the Word which is given for its Direction is the Word of Truth and if that
open does not mince or extenuate but aggravate Iniquity It can appeal to God concerning its unwillingness to conceal any of his Enemies for Mens Lusts are Gods Enemies and their own too and it can challenge Satan to Name a sin which 't is not ready to acknowledge 2. When the Conscience is pure every sin is hated Hatred is never better placed than upon sin Our Brother is not to be hated nay we are forbid to hate our Enemy but sin we may hate without sparing David tells us that through Gods Precepts he got Vnderstanding therefore he hated every false way Psal 119. 104. By the Word his Conscience was Informed and Sanctified and this Universal Hatred of sin followed Hatred is an Affection which aims at Destruction and when 't is high 't is against the whole kind Thus Haman hated Mordecai and thought it scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone but sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdom of Ahasuerus even the People of Mordecai Esth 3. 6. The pure Conscience strikes at the whole kind of sin (k) Est intentio Odii nocere nec cessat in laesione peccati sed in exterminio verè poenitens juratus est in mortem peccatorum Guil. Parisiensi De Rhetor. divin c. 23. where-ever 't is whether in the Mind in the Will in the Affections in Word in the Actions What Moses speaks concerning Idolatry it does apply unto all sin Deut. 7. 26. Thou shalt utterly detest it and thou shalt utterly abhor it for it is a cursed thing 3. When the Conscience is pure The whole Image of God is desired and that the Soul may be like unto him in all things wherein 't is its Duty to resemble him What the Moral Philosophers say concerning the Mortal Vertues that they are inter se concatenatae that they are linked together holds certainly true concerning those Graces which are wrought by the Spirit of God they are so linked together that you cannot have one in truth but you must have all in some measure This is a sweet Truth to a pure Conscience for all Grace is longed after Therefore Christ's fulness is eyed and prized and application is made to him that out of that fulness we may receive and Grace for Grace John 1. 16. That is that we may receive Graces answerable to those Graces which Christ has received of his Father for us Thus the Wax does receive Character for Character from the Seal and the Child Member for Member from the Father though not of the same bigness and proportion The pure Conscience is not double minded 't is not partly for God and partly for Mammon partly for Christ and partly for Satan But this is the desire that the God of all Grace would work every Grace in Truth and make all Grace more and more to abound 4. When the Conscience is pure the Mystery of Faith is held fast The Apostle joyns Faith and a good Conscience together 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made ship-wrack And 1 Tim. 3. 9. Holding the Mystery of the Faith in a pure Conscience Whoever are truly purified do prize the Gospel and the Mysteries of it they admire the contrivance of Mans Redemption by Christ Jesus and are perswaded since his Blood is the Blood of God that 't is sufficient to purchase lost Souls and to purchase the lost Inheritance The Mystery of Regeneration they are acquainted with and the absolute Necessity of it And though Justification by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ be Argued against as absurd by deluded Papists and their wretched followers though the work of the Spirit in renewing changing of the Heart be derided by Profane Wits nay by some that would be accounted Masters in Israel A pure Conscience notwithstanding retains these Mysteries Thus the Church of Pergamus though they dwelt where Satans Seat was yet they held fast Christs Name and did not deny his Faith and that even in those days wherein the Faithful Martyr Antipas was slain among them Rev. 2. 13. 5. Where Conscience is pure God is Served in sincerity and there is a willingness to live honestly The Apostle tells us that he Served God from his Fore-Fathers with a pure Conscience 2 Tim. 1. 3. he did not Preach a new God but the same which Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets were the Servants of This God he Served with a perfect Heart and with a willing Mind his Conscience did bear him witness that his very Soul was engaged in the Lords Work and that he was very well pleased both with his Master and with that business which his Master had Employed him in and they were not his own things but the things of his Lord which were sought by him And as a pure Conscience engages to the Service of God so to the living honestly Heb. 13. 18. We trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Where such a Conscience is that of the Apostle is heeded Rom. 13. 12 13. The night is far spent the day is at hand that is the present time which is compared to the night because most are asleep in it and much wickedness lies hid and is not yet disclosed the present time is far spent is almost come to an end and the day is at Hand that is the day of Judgement when all secrets will be brought to Light Let us therefore cast off the works of Darkness and let us put on the Armour of Light let us walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in strife and Envying and make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof 6. VVhere Conscience is pure a greater measure of Holiness is aspired unto and endeavoured after Though sin does remain in a sanctified Heart yet does it not remain quietly Conscience deals hardly with it as Sarah did with Hagar Abrahams Egyptian Concubine and is not satisfied till 't is turned out of doors though Grace is incompleat yet compleatness is desired the promises of Sanctification are lookt upon as very great and precious and they are pleaded that the Divine Nature may more and more be partaken of by them the Corruption that is in the world through lust more fully escaped A pure Conscience will not suffer us to rest in that Grace which is already attained but causes us to presse towards the mark and to cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. But now it is to be inquired How Conscience may be made thus pure unto which I answer 1. The Word of God is like a fire to purifie Jer. 23. 29. Is not my Word like Fire saith the Lord and like an Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces the word is compared to an Hammer because as the hammer does
of Mercy and Healing Jer. 3. 12. Go and Proclaim these words towards the North and say Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am Merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep Anger for ever And v. 22. again he says Return ye backsliding Children and I will heal your back-slidings O you poor sinners that are troubled for your backslidings catch hold of these words as Benhadad's Servants did of the words of the King of Israel and say Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Object 6. After all some may say Though we cannot deny that we are willing to part with every sin and to have our Hearts cleansed though we desire God to be our Father and Portion and Christ to be our Prince and Head and Saviour and Husband yet we are afraid our Hearts are not right because all this may be meerly for fear of Hell and because unless we do all this 't is impossible that Hell should be escaped Answ 1. You ought to be afraid of Hell Why is such a dreadful place spoken of but that the Sons of Men might dread the coming thither Our Lord Exhorts his Disciples to fear God upon this very Account that he was able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Luke 12. 5. Mat. 10. 28. 2. A fear of Hell never that we read of carried Reprobates very far or surely not so far as to make them willing to cast away every sin and to accept of whole Christ and to give up themselves Bodies Souls Health Strength Time all to him as appears in Felix Agrippa Herod and others 3. If you desire Cleansing and Sanctification 't is a sign that sin it self is a burthen to you as well as the Punishment of it feared by you If this might be otherwise avoided could you be contented to be slaves to sin still 4. I grant it may be said concerning prizing of Christ chusing of God and endeavouring to please him in all things that you must go to Hell if you don't do all this But where does the Scripture say that though you do all this you may go to Hell after all 'T is true unless you are sincere you must go to Hell but it does not follow that though you are sincere you may go to Hell notwithstanding 5. Do not you look upon the Lord as all-sufficient as the chiefest good Do not you see an emptiness in all the Creatures and the evil that is in sin Is not sin hated the Creature scorned in comparison of this God If so 't is a sign that the goodness of God does take you and affect your Hearts as well as the fear of Hell affright you 6. If there be a will to be Sanctified throughout and to be turned with your whole Heart unto God this is not the product of slavish Fear of Hell but is really the work of the Lords Spirit 'T is he that works both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil 2. The most startling Truths and astonishing considerations would never be able of themselves to make you willing to divorce your Lusts and to accept of Christ upon Gospel-terms If therefore you are brought unto this that you prize the Lord Jesus at so high a rate as to consent to part with every sin for his sake and to follow the Lamb in what way soever it shall please him to lead you you may warrantably conclude That the Spirit has been at Work in you and having begun a good work in you he will compleat it And you may confidently say with David Psal 138. 8. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me thy Mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the work of thine own hands VSE IV. Of Exhortation Let it be the care of you all to have a good Conscience The Apostle Paul in the Text is set forth as a good Example for all to follow as a very fair Copy for all to write after It is Counsel ordinarily given to Tradesmen Keep your Shops and your Shops will keep you So I may say Look well to your Consciences and your Consciences will look well to you If there be an Heaven upon Earth 't is a good Conscience if there be an Hell upon Earth 't is a bad Conscience I shall second my Exhortation with these following Arguments 1. He that has a good Conscience can look upward to God with Confidence 1 John 3. 21 22. Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God and whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight With what boldness may such come to the Throne of Grace For God is their Friend nay their Father and how infinitely does he surpass all other Parents in Wisdom Affection Tenderness Sufficiency and therefore expectation may be raised to a great height of receiving much from him A good Conscience sees smiles in Gods Face Fury is not in him all his wrath is taken away and his Countenance doth behold the upright Psal 11. ult God is in Covenant with these upright ones and with Joy they may study the Attributes of God and see how all are engaged for them He is Wise for them Good for them Faithful for them All-sufficient for them nay his Justice being satisfied by his Son is for them too He is Infinite Eternal and unchangeable and all this makes for them and how great is their Happiness that such a God is theirs David's Meditation of God was sweet God was his Joy nay his exceeding Joy The Lord being his Portion how does he exult in his spirit saying The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a very goodly Heritage Psal 16. 5 6. 2. He that has a good Conscience can look inward with Satisfastion The dissatisfaction of a bad Conscience is great and most Afflicting when a Man retires to himself and is tortured by himself and his self-reflecting thoughts prove as so many stings to pierce and pain him what a case is that Man in These kind of Tribulations find a Man out and there is no flying from them as Augustine (x) Inter omnes tribulationes animae humanae nulla est major quà m conscientia delictorum nam si ibi vulnus non sit sanumque sit â—â—â—us hominis quod conscientia vocatur ubicunque alibi passus fuerit tribulationes illuc confugiet ibi inveniet Deum Si autem ibi requies non sit propter abundantiam iniquitatis quid facturus est homo quo confugiet fugiet ab agro ad civitatem à publico ad domum à domo ad cubiculum sequitur tribulatio A cubiculo jam quo fugiat non habet nisi interius ad cubile suum Porrò si ibi tumultus si fumus iniquitatis si flamma sceleris non illuc potest confugere pellitur
'T is a Mercy and a great one to have a good Name to be in good Health to have good Eyes and other Senses perfect to have good Natural Parts to have a competency of the good things of this Life to Live in good and Peaceable Days but to have a good Conscience is better than any of these nay than all these put together To excite you unto Thankfulness for a good Conscience think of three sorts of Persons Of the Secure of the Troubled of the Damned 1. Think of the secure what woful work are they employed about they sin boldly and dare to be damned for that love which they bear to their Fleshly and Worldly Lusts How say they must we part with these if we will go to Heaven Nay we will keep them though we go to Hell along with them These secure sinners are like one that lies down in the midst of the Sea or as he that sleeps upon the top of a Mast They are like unto Solomon's Drunkard they strike themselves but say they are not sick they beat themselves but for the present feel it not Prov. 23. 34 35. And who is it that makes you to differ from the most Profane and stupid sinner upon the Face of the Earth Admire and Magnifie that distinguishing Grace and Love which has granted you a well-grounded Peace when so many Thousands onely cry Peace to themselves but are every moment in danger of Wrath and Hell and everlasting Trouble 2. Think of the troubled in Spirit to make you the more thankful for a good Conscience While your Souls are at ease in the Arms and Embraces of the Lord Jesus how many complain of broken Bones How many do make their Beds to swim and water their Couches with their Tears How many cry out that Terrors are turned upon them and pursue their Souls as the wind and that when they call unto the Lord he is so far from regarding that with his strong hand he does oppose himself against them Job 30. 15. 20 21. Meditate well upon the torture of a wounded Spirit and then let all that is within you bless the Lord for Healing you 3. Think of the Damned whose Consciences are in a perpetual Rage who are Racked with Despair and whose Torment shall never end They are Fetter'd in the same Chains of Darkness with the Apostate Angels and these Chains are Everlasting Ah now their Wounds are incurable because their Physitian all their days was slighted and their Wounds were made light of and no Healing is to be at all expected And you that are Saints if Rich Grace had not taken hold of you would have been of the number of these miserable Souls if you had been dealt with according to your deservings you would have been weeping and wailing in outer Darkness that are now rejoycing in Hope of the Glory of God surely such differencing Kindness calls aloud for Praise 2. You that have a good Conscience be Compassionate to them whose Consciences are evil They need your Pity because they have none to themselves and your pity may not be altogether unprofitable to them Reprove them for their evil ways with mildness and wisdom and faithfulness hate them not so much as to suffer sin to lie upon them Lev. 19. 17. Cain indeed did say Am I my Brothers Keeper But be you of a contrary Spirit if you see your Brother go in the Road to Hell warn him and by warning endeavour to stop him If your Neighbours House were on Fire at Midnight and he himself fast asleep oh what pains would you take How would you pull him out of his Bed how loud would you cry Fire Fire to wake him Alas the sinner with a secure Conscience is in a far worse case he is fast asleep upon the brink of the burning Lake and have you nothing to say to him Oh that you would put on Bowels and speak for Souls and prevent their being lost for ever And because your speaking of it self must needs be ineffectual cry vehemently unto the Lord to Second you and speak with Mighty Power Awake awake you that sleep and arise from the dead and live for ever And let your Reproofs and Prayers be followed with such an Holy Harmless Heavenly Self-denying Conversation as may tend unto their Conviction If the Profane if the Persecuters if Carnal Professors had but a good Conscience it would be better for the Nation better for the Church better for particular Believers and ah how good would it be for themselves 3. Be very sensible that a good Conscience is matter of the Devils Envy therefore it concerns you to be Vigilant for he will endeavour to wound it Satan could behold the Rich Man in brave Apparel and his Table sumptuously Furnished and tumbling in wealth and Pleasures and yet he did not Envy him he knew that these things could not make him Happy and would be so far from hindring that they would rather further his eternal Misery But to see any with a good Conscience vexes and grieves the Devil which as it shews that there is a great Excellency in such a Conscience above all Earthly good things so it should make you stand upon your Guard against this Adversary You must know that although Grace cannot be totally lost yet a good Conscience may be both Defiled and Disturbed David's sin polluted him therefore he prays to be washed throughly from his Iniquity and to have his Heart cleansed His sin also broke his Peace therefore he Prays for the Light of God's Countenance that the Bones which were broken might Rejoyce Psal 51. If you do not watch and pray that you may not enter into Temptation if you are not strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might if you do not put on the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil up-upon a sudden he may take Advantage and draw you to some perhaps grosser sins and this may make you to go in the bitterness of your Souls mourning to your Graves If it had not been for his abominable fall David's latter part of his Life might have been sweeter and for ought I know his Crown in Heaven brighter 4. Be sure with all keeping to keep the good Conscience (b) Curandum est nobis atque hoc in omni vitâ suâ quemque à rectâ conscintia transversum unguem non oportere discedere Cicer. ad Atticum l. 13. Epist 20. Let not the Apple of the Eye let not Life it self be preserved with greater care Skin for skin and all that a Man has will he give for his Life And truly skin for skin and all that we have we should give rather than make shipwrack of a good Conscience Oh never Repent of your Uprightness hold fast your Integrity whatever comes on 't I Read concerning Brutus that stout maintainer of his Countries Liberty when all his Endeavours were to no purpose and the Cause