conversation And Hezekiah when he was upon his death bed as he thought his conscience gave him a testimoniall that commended him to God better then all the men in the world could that he walked before the Lord in truth and in a perfect heart and did that which was right in his sight Is 38.3 This sweet peace of a good Conscience flowes from a certaine inexpressible assurance that we are the sons of God a certaine secret manifestatiō that God hath receiv'd us put away our sins 2. Neither good nor quiet When the heart is as full of sin as hell of darknesse and lies under a serious apprehension of Gods wrath and a certaine looking for of vengeance and fiery indignation to devoure Heb. 10.27 and is in a forlorn condition not knowing where to go for help but God is to him as the burning fire to the withered stubble and as the scorching flame to the melted wax Thus the cause stood with Judas who after he had committed that cursed fact of betraying his Master he was so gnawed by the worme conscience that nothing but an halter could ease him he hang'd himselfe And certainly had not Hell gaped for him he had got by the bargaine This made Cain go in continuall feare of killing and the persecuting Tyrant to cast up his bowels towards heaven and say vicisti Galilaee thou hast overcome O Galilean 3. Quiet but not good This is common to the best of men and they blesse themselves in it that they never had a bad word from conscience all their daies it doth not trouble nor terrify them certainly such a Conscience is seared with an hot iron and who ever is thus stigmatiz'd is marked for a Rebbell against God They sleep in their sins like Jonah in the storme though they are in greatest danger to be cast into the gulfe and sea of Gods everlasting wrath 4. Good but not quiet And such doubtlesse a child of God may have Examples are many as in Job chap. 6. 4. The Arrowes of the Lord are within me Rev. 2.3 the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of the Lord do set themselves in array against me So David thine arrowes stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Job 6.4 there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither any rest in my bones because of my sin Conscientia bona turbata Bern For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Thus Ezekiah and others But at such times though they have a good conscience yet do they faile in Assurance Ps 38.2 3 4. they have Paul's conscience but not Pauls confidence it is the latter not the former that makes it quiet and inoffensive and such was Pauls conscience not only good but quiet and inoffensive Christians have somtimes Cleare Sunshini dayes and sometimes darke cloudy daies sometimes they are under a cloud and the light of Gods countenance doth not shine on them sometimes they behold the face of God in righteousnesse and his favour is better to them then life Sometimes like Hannah they are in the bitternesse of their soules Conscientia honestè bona pacatè bona Ames and drinke of the bitter waters of Marah which makes them go mourning all their daies so then it may stand with a child of God to have a disquiet troubled Conscience 1. Use for Tryall whether we be of that some that have a good Conscience he that will not try wants it he that tries superficially hath cause to doubt it but he that is exact and sincere may safely conclude I am assured I have a good Conscience therefore search your selves as with Candles and Torches whether you can find this precious Jewell of a good conscience treasurd up within you yea or no. And the better to incite you to a true and diligent Triall take these 2 Motives 1. The neer resemblance between a Naturall and Spirituall Conscience Motives to a diligent Triall and that in divers respects They both have their conflicts both their loathing of sin they both seeme to turne a broad-side against sin and to complaine against it The Naturall conscience saith I see the better but I follow the worse The Spirituall conscience saith the good which I would do I do not but the evill which I would not do that do I. See here the difference in the latter there is a will striving against sin but in the former no will no striving at all 2. The Naturall conscience is principled only by some generall grounds of Nature acting and making conscience so far as his rules and principles will carry him and so deceiveth the Naturall man making him to boast of what he hath not namely a good conscience Whereas the spirituall Conscience rightly principled by Gods word and sanctified by his Spirit makes the person to have a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13.18 making conscience of all that God commands or forbids Ps 119.6.101 Be therefore carefull in trying your selves 2 Cor. 13.5 And that you may not be deceived take these 5 markes 1. He that hath a good conscience Notes of a good Conscience can truly say that what he doth he doth it for Conscience sake Cōscience stirrs him up unto the duty and he cannot satisfy conscience if he neglect it He subjects himselfe to God and he subjects himselfe to man and this not for wrath but conscience See well therefore to this and the rather Rom. 13.5 because Many there are whose Actions are very specious and yet without any regard to conscience Salomon describing a good man saith he is one that feareth an oath he doth not say that he is one that sweareth not but one that feareth an oath possible it is that a man may not sweare and why because he hath been well educated or he standeth in awe of his Parents or Governours or feareth some mulct from the Magistrate this is no testimony of a good Conscience But if a man sweare not because he feareth an Oath this argueth that the man feareth the commandement and to feare the commandement is a sure note of a good conscience Prov. 13.13 The least haire makes the eye weep so the least sin makes the heart smite Now as in avoiding of sin so in practising piety a man reads the Scripture at home heareth the word preached in publick performes duties in his family But why doth he thus if to satisfy conscience in obedience unto God t is well but if base and sinister ends to please and satisfy his owne carnall desire this is base and far from a good Conscience We find the Shechemites grosse hypocrites in this they will joine with Gods people and doe as they doe be circumcised as they are had this been done out of conscience it would have rejoyced the hearts of all godly ones but here is no such thing they will be circumcised indeed but
not to please God but to please Hamor and Shechem their Rulers and to enrich themselves shall not their goods and their cattell be ours Ge. 34.23 Thus many now adaies amongst us will make some shew of religion performe holy duties both publikely and privately not out of conscience but out of carnall policy They have learned Matchiavels maxime to seem religious is a credit but to be neligious is a cumber It s only a forme without power a shew without substance They set not God before their eyes neither do they with Moses see him that is invisible they look only unto men and all their ayme is how they may please men and advantage themselves in earthly things Therefore if you will be sure your Conscience is good do what you do for Conscience sake not because man thinks it fit and you think it profitable or honourable but because God commands it 2. Note If you have a good conscience then will you suffer what you suffer for Conscience sake yea to satisfy Conscience This is praise worthy saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 2.19 1 Pet. 2.19 when a man for conscience towards God endures greife suffers wrong and as his precept so his practice had rather be punished for doing well then praised for doing evill See this in Daniel he will suffer hunger feed upon Pulse rather then defile his conscience Dan. 1.8 The three Children will chuse rather to have their bodies burned in schorching flames then to have them bowed to a base Idol And Paul had rather that Ananias should smite him then that his conscience should smite him Try thy selfe therefore by this Note doest thou suffer and doest thou so suffer as to satisfy conscience patiently bearing it because God will have it so as David in the railing of Shimei he curseth me because God hath said unto him curse David Not that God said so much by word but by a command of providence so ordering and disposing of Shimei his malice as to make it a rod to correct and chastise David for his sin 2 Sam. 16.20 but as a Scorpion to Shimei to sting him to death and destruction Thus did Job in all his troubles beare with them with wonderfull patience Job 1.21 he will not charge God foolishly but saith the Lord giveth the Lord taketh away praised be the name of the Lord. But alas how many now amongst us would be accounted men of a good conscience and yet will suffer nothing for conscience They will suffer no greife no paine no losse for it See this in Amaziah King of Judah he hires an Army of an 100000 men of valour out of Israel 2 Chr. 25.6 for an hundred Talents of silver but God dislikes his hired men and sends a Prophet unto Amaziah to dismisse them The King tells the Prophet what shall I do for the 100 Talents as if he should have said I have disbursed a great summe of monyes shall I now loose all You may see how loath he is to loose his money 100 Talents of silver a great summe But alas what is 100 Talents to a good conscience yet look abroad in the world and you may then descend from Talents to pounds from pounds to pence and from pence to farthings and find some yea a multitude that if a farthing and a good conscience stand in competition they will loose their Conscience to save their farthing Heare this you Tradesmen Typlers Retailers and all that have any commerce in buying and selling witnesse this truth with me how often have you and that upon the Lords day preferred your owne houses before Gods house your tâ—pling guests and prophane Customers before Gods ministers and servants chusing rather to gaine a Trisle at home then to gaine salvation abroad in attending on Gods holy ordinances Yea let me say yet more unto you how often hath your conscience blamed you for so doing and you whereas you should have hearkened unto conscience voice have stopt your eares and blamed conscience for too much strictnesse too much tendernesse what mean these words of yours If I should be so strict in my dealings as Preachers would have me to be I might soon pluck down my signe shut up my shop sit still and do nothing Let me tell such these words savour not of a good but an evill Conscience God puts none of his into such streights as that they cannot live except they live unholily unjustly Believe it as there is no calling be it never so high that must call thee from God so there is no calling be it never so low that must give thee a dispensation to dishonour God And as in the greatest calling men may live both fully and faithfully so in the meanest calling if men use diligence with conscience they may live honestly and yet comfortably Oh therefore my Beloved cast off such gaine as filthy lucre such customers as your great enimies and take up this holy resolution never to make hast for wealth nor to use any unlawfull meanes for this transitory Trash but say if I begg I begg if I starve I starve I will loose all rather then loose a good conscience 3. Note of a good Conscience is boldnesse for God and in Gods cause The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 Prov. 28.1 When the conscience is good the courage is great it will make a man to have a Lions heart and an Angels face such an heart had Paul when he looked on the Councell Act. 23.1 such a face had Stephen the Proto-Martyr Act. 23.21 15.6 Act. 6.15 All that sate in the Councell looking stedfastly on him saw his face as if it had been the face of an Angel This good conscience will make a mans face as a flint against such as rebell against God Ez. 3.8 9. Ezek. 3.8 9. Let but God call upon such Is 41.10 13.14 saying feare not worme Jacob for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God or let him stand by them Act. 23.11 as he did by Paul and bid him be of good cheer They presently take such courage unto them that having God for them they feare not who are against them Ps 3.6 David will not feare an hoast of men Athanasius a world of men and * Fox in the story of Martin Luther p. 849. Luther will not feare a multitude of Divels were they in number as many as there were Tiles upon the houses of Wormes But alas where are these valiant ones become we have many very couragious for themselves and in what makes for their owne interest but as for God and in his cause they are very Cowards They are bold for sin but bashfull for sanctity they can plead for Baal but not for God And yet such would be accounted men of a good conscience But let me tell such they do much deceive themselves as they have not Pauls courage so neither Pauls conscience and as
was in Paul to please God Me thinks I heare you say I would please God you say you would but tell me is it the very bent of your heart and your constant endeavour so to doe if not I must tell you your woulding is but a vaine wishing and nothing worth There is not the poorest person but he would be rich the veriest Bankrupt but he would be thrifty nor the vilest person but he will say he would be honest but will you beleive such because they say they would be such when you see the bent of their heart and course of life is contrary surely no neither may we beleive such to have a good conscience which have only a woulding without endeavouring 2. The second Character of a good conscience appeares in the extent of his will Paul doth not barely say that he is willing in this or that particular to please God or with Herod willing to doe many things but he is willing in all things i.e. in all duties divine humane of piety and charity This universall Obedience is an excellent distinguishing note between truth and error yea between a good and an evill conscience Cauti estote i.e. magnam attentionē servate 1. God requires it Exod. 23.13 saying unto his people In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect i.e. be carefull to observe withall attention Audacia est de bo no divini praecepti disputare nec qula bonum est auscultare debemus sed quia Deus praecepit Tertul de poenit Vatablus in H. C. whatsoever I shall command you There is reason enough in Gods will and his meer command requires absolute obedience 2. Christ shewes us a necessity of it and tells us that whosoever is unjust in the least is unjust also in much and James saith if he offend but in one point and allow himselfe in it he is guilty of all and he shall be the least in the kingdome of God i. e. be of no account in Gods Church here Luk. 16.10 Jam. 2.10 Mat. 5.19 nor have any part in heaven hereafter So that you see that it is not enough to be willing in something but we must be willing in all things 3. What is done for God must be done equally If you doe this dutie and neglect that duty they both being commanded by the same wise and holy God John 2.5 there is no equality in it neither is it accepted Therefore as Mary to the servants that waited on Christ said unto them whatsoever he commandeth see that you do it So say I to all that who so will have a sure character of a good conscience his obedience must be universall whatsoever he commands we must endeavour to do it Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit You must have an equall respect to all Gods commandements Ps 119.6 You must with David fulfill all his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Originall word is in the plurall number all his wills Use This then may serve to undeceive all halfe hearted Christians who comming into Gods Tabernacle here below doubt not but they shall ascend his holy mountaine hereafter and why because they are willing to heare many truths and willing to performe many duties I tell thee if thou be not willing to heare all and doe all thou wilt deceive thy selfe at last Look upon Herod Ananias and Saphira were they not Professors did they not heare much and doe much how was it then that they became such sad spectacles of Gods vengeance that the one was eaten up with wormes and the other smitten with sudden death I answer though they were willing in many things yet not in all things Act. 5.2 Herod will keep his Herodias and Ananias will keep back part of the price and by reserving a part lose all Oh take it to heart all civill men and hypocrites you both are but halfe Chistians you answer Gods voice but as the Eccho doth answer the voice of a man only in part not in whole but God will not be so answered he will have all or none Do not say with Naaman The Lord be mercifull unto me when I goe into the house of Rimmon The Lord be mercifull unto me if I sweare rashly commit Adultery oppresse my Brother or act this or that wicked nesse Know God will have no reservations he will not have thee swallow a Camell nor yet a gnat As he will have thee to tremble at wounds and bloud so will he have thee to feare faith and troth As to abhorre Adulterie so to hate Daliance As to loath the shedding of bloud so to shun the taking away of any part of thy Brothers livelihood One speaking of conscience tells us it is a Bo◠of precious oyntment that must not be corrupted with the least Fly Sam Ward Soe I say take heed of any thing that may offend God an conscience and let it be thy care with Zachariah and Elizabeth to walke in the commandements of God without reproofe Luk. 1.6 so shalt thou discover the goodnesse of thy conscience with Paul when thou art not only willing but willing in all things 3. Character of a good conscience is constancy in wel-doing Paul doth not say that he is willing to make a step or two in holinesse and then leave off no he is resolved to walke on to make it his constant practice yea to live alwaies in and with a good conscience A little child may go a step or two before he fall yea a very drunkard may seeme togoe steddy at first and yet if you observe him he will at last reele and tumble this is no argument of strength or streadinesse Even so if men shall do good duties for a fitt once or twice c. and give over and fall off this is no signe of a good conscience as there must be an universality in all things so a constancy alwaies as in Paul Act. 23.1 24.16 He lived in all good conscience unto the last he kept his conscience inoffensive alwaies he walked without tripping without stumbling ever the same in all actions and in all conditions Use Consider this you hypocrites and time-servers who are constant in nothing but in inconstancy now for God and then for Baal this day holy to morrow prophane to day you will make a step or two towards heaven to morrow as many more large strides to hell Will the hypocrite pray alwaies will he be obedient in all things surely noe he is a stranger to universall obedience a stranger to constant obedience and so a stranger to a good conscience Oh therefore as thou desirest a good conscience so desire of God a right way to walk in begge of him to teach thee his way i. e. such a course of life as might be pleasing unto him and to lead thee in a plaine path Ps 27.11 that thou mayest walk in it without tripping and stumbling This way of God in which thou
art to walke in it is the way of Gods statutes if therefore thou once get into this way take heed of going out of it let that resolution be in thee which was in David Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keep it unto the end Ps 119.33 Resolve to be constant without tripping or turning either to the right hand or to the left so shalt thou be assured that thy conscience is good 4. Character of a good conscience is sincerity the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our Translators read it honestly the word is very comprehensive and containes within it as much as any or all other Adverbs in Scripture namely worthily decently accurately circumspectly lively famously and praiseworthy It notes unto us the lustre of an action and tells us that a good conscience stands not so much in verbs as in adverbs not so much in doing as in Welldoing if a Magistrate he rules diligently if a Minister he preacheth willingly if a hearer he heareth attentively if a supplicant he prayeth fervently yea whatsoever he does in the worship of his God he doth it faithfully Rom. 12.8 Phil. 2.20 Use Consider this you carnall men and women who content your selves with the bare doing of a duty without respect to the manner of doing If you eare the word read pray and practise some good duty of piety or charity you thinke you have done all and all well Oh remember that if it be not done honestly that is syncerely in obedience to God both for matter and manner and end your conscience is not good Let me therefore advise you in every duty that you do performe observe an honourable decorum I speake to Jew and Gentile bond and free male and female of what ranke and condition soever rest not satisfied in your doing of any duty except it be done honestly faithfully and praise-worthily 1. Magistrates be you in the highest place of Judicature or in the lowest place of office minde your Oathes your places your trust Jer. 48.10 doe not Gods work negligently least a woe befall you and Gods curse seize upon you but have respect unto your owne conscience and unto the consciences of others that your owne may be preserved and the consciences of others rectified 2. Ministers I must speak to you as the Colossians were to speak to Archippus Take heed to the Ministry which you have received Gol. 4.17 that you fulfill it see you doe your whole worke in delivering the whole truth and in being an example in all holinesse unto your flock preach in season and out of season do the worke of an Evangelist so fully and honestly that you may appeare to be men allowed of God to preach the Gospell and that your preaching hath not been to please men but God which tryeth the heart 1 Thes 2.4 Thus shall you evidence a good conscience when you seek to satisfy your conscience in every duty of your calling 3. Governours of Families think it not enough that you have so many under your command and that you can say to this servant goe and he goeth and unto that servant come and he cometh see well unto it that your commands and countermands be all honest doe that which is just equall unto them Doe you first with Joshua serve God your selfe Josh 24. and then resolve that your Family shall doe the like If any be ignorant see with Abraham that you teach them If any be unteachable untractable see with David you exclude them let them not abide in your house so shall your houses be Bethels houses of God and your selves men of God and men of a good conscience 4. Private persons be you not Chams but Jonathans Be you carefull of your owne consciences then be carefull of the consciences of your Brethren hate not your brethren in your hearts but reprove them plainely suffer not sin to rest upon them Lev. 19 17. Yea thou must love thy neighbour as they selfe v. 18. there must be a conformity in quality though not a correspondence of equality thy love to thy brother and to thy selfe must be like in kind for sincerity without deceit and for efficacy without defect If thou do thus love thy neighbour as thy selfe 1 John 3.18 thou lovest thy God and thou lovest a good conscience 5. Lastly to every one of what sex or condition soever whether rich or poor let conscience be your Totum all that thou hast to do is to look well to conscience Art thou rich let conscience be thy bagg if poor let conscience by thy cruse if a wife let conscience be thy glasse if a wayd let conscience be thy attire whatsoever thou art submit to conscience let that command thee be ruled by it and it will not wrong thee be familiar with it and it will never deceive thee Thus you see what is to be done in the exercise of a good conscience 1. A willingnesse to please God 2. To please him in all things 3. To please him alwaies and 4. to do all this truly sincerely and honestly Thus to doe is the very life and soule of all practicall piety As thou lovest thy soule misse not one of these charecters they are so many golden linkes fastened by God himselfe that he that hath one of them hath all and if but one be wanting assure thy selfe the rest are missing Acknowledge a necessity of them all for as in a sound body there must be a due mixture and composition of all the 4 elements and Humors so in a sound conscience there must be a due composition of all these 4 characters 1. Use to such as have hold thus exercise a good conscience to proclaime Gods bounty that they with others may magnify God we read that the 4 Lepers in Samaria having found a sudden happy change from penury to plenty they blamed themselves for being silent and not divulging this great mercy 2 King 7.9 We doe not well say they this day is a day of good tydings and we hold our peace So shall I say unto you that have found this great and gracious change in your selves that your evill conscience is become a good conscience You shall not do well to be silent but with David it is your part and duty speedily to communicate unto others Come unto me all you that feare God and I will tell you what God hath done for my soule Ps 66.18 I say againe it s your duty and you are very faulty if you doe it not Acknowledge your misery by nature and likewise your happinesse by Grace say with all humility thankfulnesse I was by nature as vile as the worst as deeply guilty in Adams sin as any as fouly polluted with Originall sin as the veriest Reprobate and had in me the seed of all sin apt to be drawne unto the foulest and grossest transgressions and to run to the same excesse of riot
that her name is become unsavory the very mentioning of Conscience is nauseated by every prophane Belialist It 's high time therefore to crave the help of an Angel yea the Angel of the Covenant Jesus Christ the Saviour to roll away the stone and to raise up our dead friend Conscience as sometimes he raised up his dead friend Lazarus This worke of raising the dead is proper unto God onely yet may an omnipotent God use impotent man in such a worke as Elisha in raising the Shunamites dead son to life 2 King 4.34 Act. 9.9 Act. 40. Paul in restoring Eutychus and Peter in reviving Tabitha aliàs Dorcas Now he that imployed men then in raising dead bodies can and will imploy men still in raising dead soules dead consciences who knoweth what God may do if we do our parts if the Hebrews pray Paul preach and God come in with a blessing on both what shall hinder but that the dead conscience should be revived the drowsie awakened the weake confirmed the troubled quieted the good bettered and every elect soule returne to his rest with some measure of Pauls considence and say I trust I have a good Conscience willing in all things to live honestly The occasion of Pauls pleading a good Conscience I find to be thus Occasion there were certaine ill-affected persons among the Hebrewes who calumniated Pauls doctrine Theophilact in h. l. as tending to the subversion of Moses law so that many who had formerly given their Names to Christ began now to draw back from Paul as a Seducer and false Teacher and so their Affections alienated from him He therefore to cleare himselfe from such false aspersions and calumniations and to confirme and establish the Hebrewes in the truth gives them to understand that he had not dealt fallaciously but faithfully with them in what he had taught them and therefore adviseth them to continue constant in their obedience unto their Teachers and in servent prayer unto God for them For saith he we are assured we have a good Conscience willing in all things to live honestly You may terme this Text Pauls Triumph or his choice Jewel with which the whole world compared and weighed in the Ballance will be found as light as drosse and vanity and without this all things are but losse dung and vexation of spirit 1. Analysis Pauls Conscience 2. Pauls Considence In the first note the quality it is a good Conscience In the second the propriety it is his owne good Conscience I have a good conscience In the second viz. his confidence you have 1. his Assurance we trust 2. the grounds of it built on foure firme pillars 1. His will desiring 2. The Extent in all things 3. The Constancy of his will to walke or live 4. The Syncerity of it namely honesty First of conscience in generall it would be very tedious to shew you the opinions of men upon the definition of conscience all varying in terme Habitus multis dispositionibus acquisitus Habitus intellectualis quâ talis officium est unicum inclinare ad promptè agendum Conscientia verò multas habet operationes quas immedtatè exercet ergo non Habitus Ames de Conscien and some in truth Much adoe there is amongst Divines to find out the Genus or generall terme of it as also the difference Some calling it an act some an habit some a faculty some a power As for the two former they are liable to just exception that call it an act or habit 1. It cannot properly be called an act because conscience many times doth not act as in sleepy men and seared consciences 2. It cannot be properly termed an habit because conscience is innate not acquired The two latter a faculty or power are generally imbraced but especially the last Some leave out faculty because the Scripture hath not yet determined it to be a distinct faculty but calling it sometimes the spirit of a man and sometimes the spirit of the mind of man therefore to avoid all exception I shall pitch upō the last terme namely power as the true genus and so define it Conscience is an inbred light in the mind of man teaching him to follow what is good and to eschew that which is evill and it is called conscientia quasi concludens scientia and it hath a two-fold Act the first is to give Testimony to things whether we have done well or ill if we have done them well then it giveth testimony for us Rom. 9.1 My Conscience also bearing me witnesse and if we have done evill then it testifieth against us Therefore Nazianzen used to call the Conscience Pedagogū animae for as a Pedagogue waiteth upon a Child and commendeth him when he doth well and on the contrary whippeth him when he doth evill so the conscience when a man sinneth it stingeth him like Hornets Deut. 7.20 But when he doth well it alloweth him bids him go on maugre all opposition and to rejoice and sing though in a prison with Peter or in stocks with Paul vid. Weemse divine exercitations But to define it more plainly and fully Conscience is a Relative power in the reasonable Creature Definition which upon determination through the light of Gods law doth either excuse or accuse 1. A power because of the many operations and workings which it dayly exerciseth in us 2. It s a Relative power not absolute Conscientia i.e. scientia cum alia scientia 1. Cum Deo scire 2. Cum seipso scire 3. Cum aliis scire 4. Cum rebus ipsis conscire because what Conscience doth it doth it in Relation to another and therefore called conscience because it knoweth with another with one that is of familiarity with it and witnesseth the truth with it and this is God alone who only knoweth the heart and trieth the reines Hence it is that Paul calleth the spirit of God to second his conscience I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost where you may see 3 witnesses produced by the Apostle and all of them without exception namely Christ the holy Ghost and Conscience which is mille testes a thousand witnesses 3. The subject in which conscience is seated it is in the reasonable Creature I doe not say it is in the Creatour for God being holinesse and righteousnesse it selfe needeth not Conscience to order governe and direct him Neither do I say it is in the unreasonable creature because Beasts and Fowles wanting reason must needs want conscience but this I affirme conscience is in the reasonable creature only whether they be men or Angels good or evill Saints or sinners blessed Angels or collapsed Divels this power of Conscience is in them all Q. In what part of man is this power seated A. Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte I will say of conscience in the soule as Philosophers of the soule in the body
they are strangers to a good conscience so are they strangers to a most good God who will be so far from blessing them that he will surely curse them and give such timerous and fearfull persons which want the fire of zeale their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimestone which is the second death Rev. 21.8 Rev. 21.8 A Childlike heart can never be patient under Gods dishonour though he is alwaies silent under his displeasure Moses was coole in his owne cause but hot when Gods credit lay at stake When the children of Israel had wrought folly in the golden Calfe the zeale of God did so eat him up that he could as well containe fire in his bosome as be patient when Gods glory suffer'd Oh therefore try your selves upon this Note and before you find your selves more bold for God be not so bold as to boast of a good conscience 4. Note of a good Conscience is to love a Conscientious Teacher and Instructer he desires not to live under a cold man-pleasing ministry which preaches liberty not strictnesse of conscience which soweth pillowes under mens armeholes and cryeth peace peace so that none departeth from his evill way The good conscience desireth such a Preacher who is not shaken with feare nor seduced with flattery whose voice is the voice of a cryer his sound as the sound of a trumpet Vsai 58.1 his words like sharp nailes and piercing goads Eccl. 12.11 Heb. 4.12 his preaching an heart-pricking his dividing of his Text and matter the dividing asunder of soule and spirit of the joints and marrow Such we find amongst the Prophets that cryed aloud and did not spare to tell the people of their transgressions and the house of Judah of their sins Such were amongst the Apostles who were sons of Thunder and threatned judgments against the wicked and rebellious Yea Christ himselfe who had the tongue of the learned to speake the word in season to him that was weary Isai 54.4 was also as a polished shaft Isai 49.2 and his mouth as a sharp sword his eyes as a flame of fire and his comming into the Temple none was able to abide he was as a Refiners fire and Fullers soap Mal. 3.2 Isa 11.4 and with the breath of his lips he did slay the wicked Is 11.4 Such are the Teachers that a good conscience loveth and delights in But our age can no more endure this kind of preaching then the Israelites could endure the shrill sound of the Trumpet sounding louder and louder He. 12.19 and that terrible fire and that voice of words which they desired they might heare no more Christs Ministers now are become Antichristian say they their doctrine only legall though indeed they trace Christ and his Apostles and observe their method who first commanded Repentance to be preached Lu. 24.47 and then remission of sins to be promised and Paul drawes all his doctrine unto these 2 heads first repentance towards God the second faith in Jesus Christ Act. 20.21 Yet men are now become so tender that they will not have their Dalilahs toucht you may not come unto them as the good Samaritan with wine to search and cleanse but only with smooth oyle to heale and comfort it must be all the riches of Christ and a naked faith in Christ If you touch with Obedience you are legall and Phisitions of no value But let me tell such as follow such Doctors their cause is dangerous when the blind lead the blind Isa 9.16 you can easily conclude what will follow The leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are lead of them are destroied Wherefore would you be assured that your conscience is a good conscience do not with Ahab hate Micaiah nor with Ananias smite Paul do not vilify those whom God doth honour I meane zealous honest and consciencious ministers who labour in the word and doctrine and are examples to the flock in faith and love in spirit and purity if you do we are bold to challenge you for men of an evill conscience but on the other side if you honour them as men sent of God and highly esteeme them for their workes sake and readily obey their wholsome doctrine following them as they follow Christ you may then safely conclude we are assured we have a good conscience Last Note of good Conscience is universall Obedience This is an excellent distinguishing note between truth and error a good and an evill conscience God calls for this saying in all things that I have commanded you be circumspect Exod. 23.13 Caute estote 1. magna God will have conscience to be good to all persons Act. 24.16 and good in all things Heb. 13.18 and to be good at all times attentione servate vatabl It must be our exercise daily to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man He that hath a good conscience his heart is moulded into obedience his will is cast into Gods will He is ready to do what God commands and to leave undone what God forbids Like the slower that opens and shuts with the Sun So it opens to God and shuts to sin He desires to do Gods will on earth as the Angels do it in heaven readily sincerely constantly Let us now try our selves by this note and we shall find a good conscience to be very rare we may run with Jeremie to and fro to find such a man Jer. 5.1 we may goe into many families townes parishes perchance misse him at the last The prophane and vitious will not owne such good conscience and the Civill Justitia and formall Hyprocrite care not These two last have high conceits of themselves but yet upon tryall will be found too light First the civill man thinks well of himselfe because he is kind unto his neighbour defrauds no man but payes every man to a penny and as for the poor needy he is open handed ready to supply their wants at all times and therefore doubts not but his conscience is very good but let me tell thee thou civill man thou art much deceived if thy Conscience were good thou wouldest be holy to God as well as upright to man how is it that thou art so ignorant in the things of God and of thine own salvation that thou makest no conscience of prayer in thy Familie of reading the Word of hearing it preached unto thee no conscience of an Oath of a lie and of keeping the Sabbath day surelie if thy conscience be not good to God as well as to man it is void of goodnesse Secondly The formall Hypocrite is as high if not higher in his conceits of self worthinesse He is one that labours to know God and to serve him both publikely in the Congregation privately in his Familie hee is a professed onimie unto Ignorance and prophanes and prayseth God that he is not as other men and
A Golden Topaze OR Heart-jewell Namely A Conscience purified and pacified by the Blood and Spirit of CHRIST Written by FRANCIS WHIDDON Pastor of Morton-Hampsted in Devon Unicnique liber esse propria Conscientia ad hunc librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii inventi sunt S. Bernard OXFORD Printed by Henry Hall 1656. TO MY FAITHFULL Flock who love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied MY Deare Children for so I am bold to call you though you have had many teachers yet not many fathers if I may credit your owne tongues there is a number of you will say that in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4.15 Let God have the glory for what is Paul or what is Apollos or what am I But the weake Instrument by whom the all-sufficient God hath wrought faith in your hearts I therefore according unto my Duty do here present unto you a tender of my true Affection towards you in this plaine and short Tract of Conscience The subject is worthy of all Acceptation Though the Author bee the meanest of all his Brethren You may consider it as an Object both to your eare and eye your eare hath heard it preached and your eye may see and read it and if your heart Affect it the Jewell is your owne And I who am your Pastor may take the Boldnesse and say I need no Epistle of Commendation to you or Epistle of Commendation from you you are mine Epistle knowne and read of all that have spirituall eyes and are acquainted with you yea you are the Epistle of Christ written not with Inke but with the spirit Not in Tables of stone but in the fleshy Tables of the heart I hope I shall not be ashamed of this my foolish Boasting But that when I am gone from you this pretious Jewell which now I present unto you will then be found still to abide within you and if at any time through carelesnesse this Jewell of a good Conscience with in you shall gather Dust and lose it's lustre Let this little Tract if better be wanting be Assumed by you Read it once and againe humbly and advisedly so may you have hope that your Dull and Dusky Consciences will Recover it 's former lustre with more peace and Purity And Now my deare children knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle of Flesh 2 Pet. 1.14 and be brought to the house appointed for all living Job 30.23 I shall endeavour to give you some few Advertismēts before I goe hence and be seene no more Know Deare soules we are the people on whom the ends of the world are Come and our daies very perilous and Dangerous as saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4. In which we find Iniquite to Abound and Damnable Errors Heresies to Superabound What Enthusiasticall fancy what Anti-Scripturall opinions What Immaginary Raptures and Revelations have we now Amongst us so that now to Refraine from their evill opinion and practises is to make our selves a prey Never were the times more Contagious Opinions more Infectious practises more Dangerous So that every pious soule had need to be a Spirituall Physician and still to have Cordials to fortifie his soule within and Repercussives to beate back the Infectious Venome of Sin and Error without Preservatives I. Be constant and sincere in the preformance of all holy Duties both publike and private in the Congregation and the Family Let your holinesse appeare unto all Be holy abroad and at home Despise not ordinances neither in whole or part But receive them with all thankfulnesse as Love-tokens from your Father and acknowledg a Necessitie of them all and that as long as you are Below Temptations you cannot be above Ordinances which will be as long as you carry your Fraile Tabernacles about you They are more necessary then your Appointed food More to be Desired then Gold yea then fine Gold And sincere milke sweeter then the hony or hony Comb without which you cannot be nourished up unto everlasting Life 2. Keepe close to your God in a way of Prayer and prayses Be Constant in Both pray alwaies and in all things give thankes What Grace you want get it by Prayer and what good you enjoy weare it By Prayse If you thus draw neare to God in a way of Duty God will be still neare unto you in a way of Mercy The least Dropp of the wine of mercy should Inflame your hearts with true thankfulnesse and fill your Mouths with constant prayses So that you lay new Ingagement on the god of mercy to bestow more mercies Not only to preserve you from the evill of evils But ever to Inrich you with the blessing of blessings 3. Give not way to a customary Dulnesse in Duty but performe every Duty with all your power with sincere Intention with heate of Affection and with Diligence and Delight Especially be not slight in secret prayer meditation and reading Doe not the worke of the Lord deceitfully or negligently least the curse of God fall on you Jer 48.10 Mal 1.14 but zealously and heartily watch to these duties Eph. 6.18 Keep your hearts in a good frame for them undefiled with sin untainted with the world Endeavour to feele all Duties at your hearts inlivening inlarging and inflaming your affections Lay not out the chiefe of your zeale on Externals opinions and the smaller things of Religion but let soule-saving worke be your maine and daily imployment Exercise your selves in selfe-examination looke daiely into your owne bosomes by a serious scrutiny and spare not those beloved Dalilah's and cursed Achans which are the troublers of our Israel 4. Get true light in your Understandings not only a speculative but spirituall light not a notionall but experimentall light the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Such a light whereby you may be inabled to see sin to be the greatest evill and God himselfe to be the cheifest good Such a light that melts the soule that humbles the soule that enlivens the soule that quickens the soule and that quiets the soule Nourish not an head-light but an heart-light Let the word of truth dwell in you plenteously Weake judgments are easily misled both in opinion and practice but a sound judgement will preserve you in both So fly one error that you do not fall into another it is easy to run into extreames but very difficult to keep the golden Meane 5. Keep your hearts with all diligence 4. Pro. Watch daily to prevent him which watcheth ever to mischeife you I Pet. 5.8 And let yours praiers be frequent and fervent Lord lead us not into temptation Your enemies are many mighty and malicious which still lye in waite to breake your peace wound your consciences lessen your comforts impaire your graces blurre your evidences and dampe your assurances and unlesse you stand upon your Guard set your selves
It is in every part or faculty of the soule 1. It hath the understanding for its Throne and Pallace where it is cheifly resident and keepeth a compleate Court in the whole soule commonly called forum conscientiae and there as a Judge sits determining and prescribing absolving and condemning de jure 2. It s in the memory and there it acteth as Register or Recorder readily minding and recording witnessing and testifying de facto 3. It s in the will and affections and there Conscience carries it selfe like a Jaylour or Executioner rendring rewarding plaguing and punishing every one sine respectu without partiality The 4 th thing in the definition of conscience is determination Conscience determineth what is good what evill what is to be done what not to be done and so excites or diswades accordingly If conscience say this must be done then must we do it for conscience sake If conscience tells us it is evill Rom. 13.5 then must we forbeare for conscience sake i.e. out of an holy feare of God whereby our conscience may be preserved pure before him 5. The rule by which conscience acteth namely the light of Gods law I do not say by the light of the word Gospell or written Law but more largely by the light of Gods law I meane the law of Nature written in mans heart before the word was written or Gospell revealed For as man had a conscience from the beginning so he had light from the beginning to regulate conscience which was the law of Nature written in his heart Rom. 2.15 6. The last thing in the desinition of conscience is her acting or working upon the light received which is twofold either acquitting or condemning when by her light she determines what is done that it is good or evill she accordingly doth excuse or accuse Rom. 2.15 And thus have you conscience in generall defined and explained Having shewed you what conscience is and in whom namely in the reasonable Creature now in so much as every man hath reason I may safely conclude that every man hath conscience The point of Doctrine is clearly this Doct. There is in every man a power or faculty called Conscience 1. That there is in man a conscience let our Apostle cleare up this truth in himselfe how often doth he call and appeale unto conscience upon all occasions when he was convented before the Coūsell greiveous things charged upō him he appeals to conscience Men and Brethren I have lived saith he in all good Conscience before God untill this day Againe when Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite Paul on the mouth Act. 23.1.2 and Tertullus with all his Rhetoricke before Foelix besmeares him calling him a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition a maintainer of the sect of the Pharisees a polluter of the Temple and what not He hath no way to cast off all this filth but by flying unto conscience shewing his enimies how far and free he was from these base aspersions that it was his constant practice to keep a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.16 And that you may not think it to be Pauls peculiar but common to others with him we approve our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 Ob. Though good men have a conscience yet wicked men have not A. It is an usuall saying indeed amongst men here when they meet with such as are very hard in their dealings or very vitious in living to say this man hath no Conscience But you must understand their meaning when they say he hath no conscience they meane no good conscience or no working conscience Be you therefore assured that there is a Conscience in every man and woman be they good or bad not only in Paul but also in Pilate not only in John but likewise in Judas John 8.9 Rom. 2.15 The accursed Jewes wicked Pharisees and Heathenish Idolaters will all acknowledge the being and working of Conscience in them To hold therefore that some men have no Conscience is both dishonourable to God and injurious to man 1. A dishonour to God as if he had given man not a perfect but imperfect soule defective in its principall power or faculty we confesse that the body of man being generated may be maimed wanting a part or member Gen. 2.7 as an eye an eare a hand or foot Anima infundendo creatur creando infunditur Tho Aqu. 2. d. 3. q. 1.4.1 because it comes mediately from man but as for the foule being created and infused by God this cannot be defective but compleat in all this powers and faculties and therefore a great dishonour to God to question his workmanship as men do if they deny man to have a conscience Anima humana non eseminis traduce propagatur sed immediatè à Deo creatur which is a speciall power or faculty in the soule 2. An injury to man 1. Deny man conscience you deny him reason and so confound him with a beast but grant him a conscience and you grant him reason and set him in his proper place as a Lord or master over beasts Ps 8.7 2. Againe deny him Conscience you deny him a Soule one of his Essentials and so confound his manhood which were a great injury to him We acknowledge sin hath brought us to a great losse but not to such a losse as to loose our being we have by Adams sin lost our innocency but not our essence our Excellency but not our existence our soule is defiled not annìhilated our powers depraved not destroyed man is man still hath body and soule partes members powers and faculties all good quoad bonum naturale all naught quoad bonum morale The truth then still stands cleare that there is in every man a power or faculty called Conscience 2. The Reasons why God hath planted this power of conscience in man are two 1. R. To shew his Justice that he will judge righteously God commands judges here on earth to execute righteous judgment Deut. 1.16 to proceed secundum allegata probata to do nothing but upon good evidence and witnesse Now shall not the Judge of all the world do right God hath therefore set this power in man that when God comes to judge him he may have sufficient evidence in himselfe his owne Conscience witnessing for him or against him before Gods Tribunall For God will not condemne without a witnesse 2. R. Is to shew his mercy unto man He knowes man is very fraile labilis memoriae apt to forget his God and to forget himselfe Sometimes he goes forth and forgets to pray unto God for protection and direction sometimes he returnes home and neglects his duty of praise to God for his preservation therefore God hath placed in him this power of conscience as a remembrancer unto him Againe sometimes mens Passions are very high as in Jonah Jonah 4.9 who is