feeth wickednesse also will not he then punish it Job 11. 11. The reasons of this point that God knowes all mens sinnes and sinfull courses hee knowes all that they ever have done or doe doe or will doe or can doe or would doe are First because God is infinite in knowledge as David sayes his understanding is infinite Psal 147. 5 as the Prophet Esay sayes ther 's no searching of his understanding Isa 40. 28. well if he be infinite in Knowledge what can a poore Creature keepe close from him who can hide his iniquities from him who can set such a colour upon his wicked devises that hee can not discover them let a man excuse himselfe may be his excuses may passe currant among men but God must needs know the falsenesse of his excuses and that they are but Fig leaves men may pretend what they will and deny what they will with an impudent forehead and set a good face upon what they will and this may goe unperceived among men but Gods understanding is infinite and therefore hee knowes all that men do he knows how every man stands affected unto him he knows how people come to Church and whether they meane to doe what they have been taught whether they meane to reforme what they have been reproved for for He is infinite in Knowledge and therefore he is privy to all the sins of men Secondly as he is omniscient so he is omnipresent he is present every where whether can any Creature goe from his presence if hee goe into Bed or Chamber or Closet or Street or high way or Alehouse or Drab-house home or abroad hee can go howhere but where God is and how can hee doe ought but God must needs see him God himselfe argues on this manner Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I should not see him 〈◊〉 not I fill Heaven and earth sayth the Lord Jer. 23. 24. qâ—d if I be every where I must needs be able to see every where Thirdly the Lord is omniprovident as I may so speak hee hath a hand either in the making of all things or at least in the permitting and disposing of all things All that is good hee does it himselfe or else it cannot be done All that is evill hee must permit it to be or else it cannot be committed nothing is done without his concurrence or sufferance therefore he must needs know all mens sins he knowes what hee hath suffered to be or does suffer or will suffer not so much as the sinnes of men can fall out without him as Peter speaking of Judas his sinnes and the Iewes and Pilats and Herods they did nothing but what he knew they would doe why they did nothing but what his Hand and Counsell determined before to be done Acts 4. 28. therefore he knew the Jewes would be betray Christ he could tell the Prophet Zachary diverse hundred yeares before that hee would take 30 pieces of Silver to doe it He could tell the Prophet Esay that they would fmite him and buffet him that they would reck on him among transgressors he could tell the Prophet David that they should pierce his hands and his Feet and that they should offer him Vineger to drinke the Lord knew all these sinnes of yours why because hee had decreed them True hee did not decree that hee would make them commit them but he decreed that they themselves should be the agents of them it should be meerly their fault their covetousnes their malice their men-pleasing their wicked disposition I but he ordred these things and therefore he must needs know them The drunkard could not hold up the cup to his mouth if God had not intended to preserve his armes and his mouth at that time hee could not goe to the tipling house but that God intended to continue him his feet and his health no man could thinke a wicked thought nor speake a naughty word but that God upholds his heart and his tongue in the interim if God should forbeare his goodnesse to them he would be speechlesse and not able to thinke so much as any thought at all and this aggravates mans sinnes that hee hath need of Gods goodnesse at the same time and yet that he should sin against his Maker Fourthly the Lord knowes every mans sinnes because he hath a Candle in every mans bosome hee hath made mens hearts on that wise that he hath a Candle in them all Yee know there is a spirit in a man that we call conscience that is Gods Candle as Solomon sayes The spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Pro. 20. 27. well if he have a Candle shining in every mans bosome what can there be hidden in the darke nay he knoweth mens hearts and wayes better then they knew them themselves as the Physitian can better judge of his Patients body then himselfe Christ knew Peters unbelieving heart when he knew it not himselfe though all men be offended in thee yet will not I Christ knew he would be offended in him that very night so hee knew Hazaels wicked life when the man that owned it would not believe it is thy servant a Dogge sayes he that I should be so wicked yet he knew he would be so wicked and cruell and therefore God can bring to a mans minde a thousand things that he never dreamt of before many a man deceives himselfe all his life time But when hee comes to sicken and die then God shewes him what he is and what he hath done and now he sees he is a damned wretch and yet before though all the Ministers in England had told him so much hee would not have believed it Fifthly he must needs know every mans sins because he is the Judge of all the World and he is to judge every sinner according to his deeds now if hee should not know all his sins he could not judge righteous judgement The Judge must know all secrets otherwise he cannot well judge Now beloved God is a righteous Judge and therefore no sin can scape him God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill Eccl. 12. 14. True it is he shall not want witnesses in the day for conscience shall be a thousand witnesses yet it is needfull that himselfe should have perfect knowledge of all the actions of men For why is conscience so ready to accuse a man when it is awakened it is onely because it is conscious that God knoweth all its doings now if God had not perfect knowledge himselfe conscience would not witnesse all then neither could it make a sinner confesse all But Gods knowing all this is it that will make conscience to speake truth The Psalmist being to dispute against a company of Atheisticall people that sayd tush God shall not see Psal 94. 7. marke how hee reasons against them He brings
Sarahs wombe is said to be dead he considered not the deadnesse of Sarahs womb Rom. 4. 19. that is her womb had no activity to conceive now when a wombe is active this way then we say it is quick so a coale that hath sire in it is said to be a live coale There flew one of the Seraphins having a live coale in his hand Isa 6. 6. we call it alive coale because it is active it is able to burne whereas if that fire were out then it were not able to burne and therefore then we call it a dead coale so when a man is active towards God Take him in prayer there he can act now take him in selfe deniall in reconciling of himselfe in humbling of the heart in mourning for sinne in hungering after righteousnesse even as a man does after his appointed food take him in any of the things of God though he were like a dead coale afore yet here he can act now now he can move this way when one is like a block in good duties that man is dead we call moving things living things Every moving thing that liveth Gen. 9. 3. when a thing cannot stirre that we call dead when a man is not stirring in heavenly things he is stirring enough in earthly but he cannot stir in heavenly things that man is a dead Christian though he professe never so much yet if he be not stirring towards God from day to day he is dead I thinke it meet to stirre you up sayes Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 13. that is I think it meet to quicken you up Now beloved this being so if ye would know what it is to be alive towards God let us but finde out a little what is the life of a man First what is the life of a mans understanding people thinke that bare knowledge is and approving of Gods wayes and thinking of them now and then they thinke this is the life of their understandings But you shall see these are not it therefore we will search out what is the life of the understanding Secondly what is the life of the will or of the heart people are apt to thinke that wishings and wouldings and velleities if they have some volitions towards God and all holy courses they thinke their wills are alive no these are not it therefore we will search too wherein the life of the will does consist Thirdly what is the life of the conscience people generally doe conceive that if their consciences doe check them for their sinnes and smite them for evill and excuse them in other things that are good then their conscience is alive now we desire to enquire what is the life of the conscience indeed Fourthly what is the life of the affections I gave you a touch of these when I shewed you what it is to be dead now let me speake of them more fully to shew you what it is to be alive For the first what is the life of the understanding ye know there be many things in the understanding knowing approving studying determining now the world thinks that when the understanding is so far wrought upon as to know Christian religion to approve it to study it to determine aright upon things evill things to be evill good things to be good duties to be duties sins to be sins now they suppose their understandings are alive But the truth is none of all these are the life of your understandings The understanding hath another life besides these The understanding may have all these and be dead As first for knowledge I need not stand to prove that the dead Heathens the Apostle sayes they knew God when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom 1. 21. knowledge is not enough as cur Saviour Christ speakes is ye knew these things blessed are ye if ye doe them Joh. 13. 17. nay literall knowledge does not so much as give them understanding true light much lesse life a great learned divine that is wicked his understanding is still in darknesse nay it may leave him more dead then those that are groslely Ignorant as the Prophet sayes of them that had knowledge I will get me to the great men for they have knowne the way of the Lord but these have altogether broken the Yoke Jer. 5. 5. they were more dead their hearts were more averse from all goodnesse Bare knowledge is a poore thing and yet people are apt to glory in it the Apostle makes a pish at it we know we have all knowledge 1 Cor. 8. 1. q. d. is that such a peece of matter never tell me of your knowledge I know ye all have knowledge but that 's a poore thing nay the greater is thy woe if thou hast not a quickened mind as Solomon sayes he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Eccl. 1. 18. thou increasest thine owne selfe condemning the more thou hast the greater knowledge in thy Bosome thou knowest the more thou feest to condemne thee thy knowledge is like a sword in thy bowels that daily galls thee and wounds thee and therefore little reason to thinke that knowledge is the life of the minde it is not so much as the light of the minde take heed sayes our Saviour that the light that is in thee be not darknesse Luk. 11. 35. that is thou mayst have a great deale of light and yet be in darkenesse nay in worse darknesse then Ignorant blinde people that have no light at all if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. 23. such people are more senselesse at the word harder to be wrought on they have the more distinctions to deceive their owne soules they thinke to well of themselves they are too wise to be fooles that they may be wise they are farther of from confession if they had lesse knowledge it may be there might be more hope to doe them good But having so much knowledge in a carnall minde it is made a strong hold against grace it is with such people as it was with Babylon thy wisedome and thy knowledge hath perverted thee Isa 47. 10. true knowledge is a good thing but when a man is fleshed with it that he takes himselfe to be some body this marres all but I will speake no more of this Secondly for approving of the truth that cannot be the life of the minde neither when a man approves goodnesse and good people this indeed is an excellent mercy of God to make a man approve goodnesse and good men O how are such bound to be thankfull few goe so farre But alas if thou goest no farther thy minde is not yet quickened up to God as the Apostle shewes that a man dead in his sinnes still may yet approve the best things Thou knowest his will and approvest the things that are most excellent Rom. 2. 18. Herod approved Iohn the Baptist and his preaching Achish King of Gath approved David and all
so eager to deny himselfe I count all drosse and dung the intentions of his heart were after Christ O sayes he that I might know him Phil. 3. 10. Thirdly the elections and choosings of the heart this is another part of the hearts life no man is dead to that which he chooses rather then any thing else now if we did still choose the wayes of God we could not be dead to them when we are dead to them at any time it is because we could even finde in our heart to make another choyce and therefore if we would know whether our heart is alive unto goodnesse whether doe we choose the way of goodnesse every day before any other way as David sayes I have chosen the way of truth Psal 119. 30. as the Lord sayes of the good eunuches they choose the things that please me Isa 56. 4. Beloved what ever we doe or thinke or speake still there be two wayes propounded to us one that is Gods way another that is our owne way now which doe we choose every day what thoughts doe we choose rather of the two to thinke what words doe we choose what actions what courses when we are together what conference doe we choose when alone what doe we choose there be two kinds of eating and drinking which choose we when we are provoked there be two wayes to take either to be impatient and suffer our passions to arise or to quell them and beat them down which doe we choose doe we say as that good man said Lord let thy han help me for I have choosen thy precepts Psal 119. 173. Fourthly the aversions of the heart ye know the heart it chooses what it likes so there is some thing that it shuns now if thou wouldst know whether thy heart be alive towards God doe but thinke with thy selfe what it uses to shun when thou art angry is it disgrace or sinne it ever shuns some thing or other either what God dislikes or what thou every day and houre something it puts off does it put off things that are offensive to thy flesh or things that are offensive to God Here lies thy hearts life if thy heart be alive towards God it is of this temper to put off those things that are displeasing to God I hate vaine thoughts sayes David Psal 119. 113. marke his heart was of this temper to put of all those things that were contrary to God it may be many of those thoughts his own heart would have rather kept I but when his heart was alive towards God he put them off though I have refrained my feet from every evill way that I may keep thy word Psal 119. 101. now when good things shall be put to a man every day by the word and by conscience and a man hath a refusing heart to them this is a dead heart as God put to Iudah to returne but they refused to returne Jer. 5. 3. God put shame before them for their sinnes but they refused to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. now my brethren examine your bosonies how stand the refusals of your hearts doe you refuse good or evill every day if thou canst refuse temporall evill and not spirituall thou hase a dead heart Fifthly the savourings of the heart this is another peece of the hearts will something there is that every heart savours most and that it is which it is alive unto now then if thy heart be alive unto God it will savour the things of God most it will not onely doe good duties but savour them too not onely heare the word of God but it will have an admirable savour with the heart as the Apostle sayes it will have the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 16. as the Church sayes to Christ because of the savour of thy good oyntments therefore the Virgins love thee Cant. 1. 3. Oh how it will savour a reproofe how it will relish but if holy things have no sweet savour in thy heart it may be thou canst not for shame of the world not seeme to stand for them thy conscience will not let thee but thou wilt give them a good word and seeme to approve them but there 's no more savour in them then in the white of an egge nay they are irksome and untoothsome they doe not goe merrily down with thee like sweet conserves assure thy selfe thy heart is a dead heart Sixthly the cares of the heart this is another show of the hearts will what the heart is alive to it carketh and careth for it and therefore if thy heart be alive towards God how carefull will it be that it may not offend him yea what care 2 Cor. 7. 11. As the Apostle sayes to Titus I will have thee affirme constantly that they which beleeve in God must be carefull to maintaine good works Tit. 8. 8. therefore if a Minister be alive towards God he will be full of care for his people how he may pull them from their sins how he may draw them to God how he may most doe them good as Paul sayes of Timothy he will naturally care for your Estute Phil. 2. 20. True a man hath many things to doe in the world many cares how to live how to pay rent at quarter day what may become of his poore Children c. I but if the heart be alive towards God it will labour to cast these cares upon God cast all your care upon him 1 Pet. 5. 7. But for heavenly things for the having and keeping of a good conscience it will be full of cares about these things yea it how may get to be more afraid of sinne how may I get a weaned heart from the earth it will be caring how he may be provided for evill times how he may stand in the wofull day Seventhly the appropriating of the heart the esteeming of the heart what 's the hearts jewell that 's the heart most alive to now thinke what does thy heart prize most of all if it be alive towards God he is dearest to thee his will dearer then thine his glory then thy credit his word then thy life as Paul sayes I doe not count my life deare so that I may finish my course with joy Act. 20. 24. this was the Jewell of his heart how he might doe the worke that God set him to doe that he might finish his course so likewise if thy heart be alive love will be like a precious oyntment Psal 133. 2. heavenly wisedome more precious then Rubies Prov. 3. 15. a promise will be precious to the heart 2 Pet. 1. 4. So also faith will be a precious thing 1 Pet. 1. 7. But above all Christ will be precious to the heart to you that beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. these are heart Jewels these it endeares most it will rather â—art with any thing then these nay it will morgage any thing to redeeme these againe These things are little
let his Baalisme alone or if the conscience be against all manner of sinnes it is but in a fume cito redibit in gratiam they are but like new Wine in old Bottels at last the Bottels break and the Wine is all spilt so all these workes in an awakened conscience are onely then while the conscience cannot sleep But when it can fall asleep againe then the man can be quiet againe the conscience is an old conscience and not renewed and therefore it is not able to hold them well then ye see these are not consciences life What then is the consciences life for this ye must know First the conscience hath a Testimoniall life a life whereof it lives as the soul lives for it is the reflexion of the soule the soules privity to it selfe betweene God and it selfe And therefore if the soule be alive towards God then the conscience is alive too as the Apostle sayes How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spoâ— to God purge your conscience from dead workes is to serves the living God Heb. 9. 14. marke when a mans dead workes are purged away the conscience is alive when a mans selfe is alive and his workes are alive the conscience is alive as we say of the goodnesse of conscience though the conscience be never so good in it selfe yet as long as the man is not good his conscience can never be good conscience is said to be good as a Messenger is said to be good namely when he bringeth good tydings though he be never so good a man yet if he doe not bring good tydings we say he is an ill Messenger he sent evill Angels among them Psal 78. 49. Calvin thinkes it may be meant of good Angels yet said to be ill Angels because they brought evill Plagues upon Aegypt so stands a good conscience that can bring good tydings of a man that he is a good man true a wicked mans conscience may report well of him as Absolon did of the people O your matters are good sayes he when they were stark naught so thy conscience may flatter thee and say thy matters are good But when conscience can say truly thy matters are good The conscience is like a Register or a Bill now then it is a Bill of good Items when all thy sinnes are blotted out ye know we call it a fowle bill that hath fowle crimes written in it Item this man stole a horse Item he brake into such a mans house Item he murdered such a man when such a Bill as this comes in at the Assizes against a poore Prisoner this is a black Bill this is a fowle Bill so as long as thy conscience is a fowle Bill Item I was born in sinne Item I have lived very loosely Item I have heard so many Sermons and gotten litte good Item I was at such a Sacrament and was nere the better thy conscience is a fowle Bill this is a fowle conscience as the Apostle sayes a defiled conscience Tit. 1. 15. This is a bad conscience now when the conscience is cleane then it is a good conscience so I may say of a lively conscience the conscience is alive when the man is alive towards God then it beares witnesse but that is not all the conscience hath other acts Secondly the conscience hath another life of it's own namely the conscience is said to be quickened up to its duty when it quickens up the whole man to doe his As the conscience of the good people that offer'd to the Tabernacle was a quick conscience their conscience was quick to doe its duty because it quickened them up to doe theirs their heart made them willing Exod. 35. 29. that is their conscience made them willing though the conscience be never so eager that is not it it never does its duty with life till it make thee doe thy duty with life The conscience of the godly may be is not so eager neither does it keep such a doe as many a wicked mans conscience The eagerer conscience is faine to be it 's a signe the man is the more dead when a man is alive the conscience stirres him up with more ease like a man that is willing to pay his debts the creditor need no more then aske whereas when the debter is a slye fellow there needs the more Bawling so that if thou would'st know whether thy conscience be quick the question is not whether it be eager or no But whether does it quicken thee up to doe thy duty or no. This then is the life of conscience when it makes a man doe his duty towards God and man when it makes a man beleeve with all his heart when it makes him love God with all his soule and mind to serve him in truth to doe his holy will to humble himselfe soundly before God for all his sinnes to make his peace with God daily to please him and to walke before him in newnesse of life This is a living conscience this conscience hath the grace of life in it whether it doe it by eagernesse or not that is not it whether with much a doe or little that is all one First When the conscience does not onely check but it checkes to some purpose as when David had numbred the people his heart smote him 2 Sam. 24. 10. such checks there may be in a wicked heart when a man is made to doe the Lords will for conscience sake Secondly When it does not onely accuse for sinne so a naturall conscience may doe but it pulls a man downe before God and cites himselfe effectually before God The just man first accuseth himselfe as the Greek and the Latin read it Prov. 18. 17. Thirdly when it does not onely condemne one for sinne for so the wicked have condemning consciences as the Apostle sayes if our heart condemneth 1 Joh. 3. 20. that is if we be wicked as Paul sayes knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned ef himselfe Tit. 3. 11. that is he is a wicked wretch so that a wicked mans conscience may and will and shall condemne himselfe But I meane when the conscience does not onely condemne one for sinne but it tramples upon ones self as a damned wretch in himselfe to save God a labour as the Apostle speakes if we would judge our selves we should not be Iudged 1 Cor. 11. 31. Fourthly when it does not onely pull a man a dayes so it may doe the wicked and the ungodly they feele many puls every day and may be their conscience makes them leave many particular sinnes But when the conscience puls a man out of every known sinne withall the detestation and loathing out of unbeleife out of inpenitency and heardnesse of heart out of formality and all this is a lively conscience as Iob sayes my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live Job 27. 6. These are the
lively acts of conscience about sinne The lively effects whereof are three The first is penitent shame that ever he hath done it conscience makes him flye from it as a horrible shame and confusion of face before God as the Apostle sayes what fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6. 21. Secondly another is penitent griefe and compunction of heart so ye may see this effect in the new converts They were pricked in their hearts Act. 2. 37. Thirdly another effect is penitentiall feare whereby he is afraid to sinne against God againe 2 Cor. 7. 11. Fourthly another is humbling despaire in himselfe that he sees nothing in him but death and damnation and so he lies at Gods Gate as a man utterly undone in himselfe having no hope but onely in Christ for as God dealt with Paul in regard of his recovery out of his sicknesse he brought him to despaire of life in himselfe 2 Cor. 1. 8. so does a lively conscience in regard of misery Thus ye see for sinne Secondly now for the lively acts of conscience in regard of good when the conscience hath life it does not onely excuse in part for so it may doe in a wicked heart nay a wicked man hath such an excusing conscience when he does good for the matter of it as we read in the Heathens Rom. 2. 15. But it does sweetly excuse him and tels him he hath done it unfeignedly in the truth of his heart that he does beleeve that he does truly repent that he does in some measure walke in new obedience from day to day and that he stands guiltlesse before God through Jesus Christ When the conscience does not urge a man onely to that which is good As it urged Agrippa almost thou perswadest me c. 26. 28. Thirdly approbation when the conscience either may or does pronounce a man to please God The lively effects of these acts are 1 Ioy. 2 Cor. 1. 12. The second is boldnesse freedome from slavish feare The righteous is bold as a Lyon Prov. 28. 1. Againe a lively conscience is a sudden conscience Secondly a tender conscience REVEL 3. 1. And art Dead THe point we are in is when is the conscience alive when is that quickened up in a man ye have heard First what is the quickening of the minde Secondly what is the quickening of the heart now I say it followes what is the quickening of the conscience I shewed you how thousands are deceived here for the conscience may be awakened very much and yet never quickened indeed First the conscience somewhat awakened may like of good things Secondly the conscience somewhat awakened may oblige a man to all manner of good things Thirdly a conscience somwhat awakened may be much troubled about sinnes Fourthly a conscience somewhat awakened may urge one to good things Fifthly it may be very eager in this urging Sixthly it may prevaile very farre with its eagernesse Seventhly it may make one looke at God in some sence so farre as it prevailes All this may be in conscience and yet the conscience never quickened indeed and we have shewed you all these and cleared them unto you so that you see what need there is to enquire what the life of conscience is After the handling of these seven particulars we gave you five reasons to prove that these are not arguments that the conscience is truly alive that the conscience may doe all this and yet not have the grace of life in it First because all these workes of conscience may be in a naturall man 2. Because the conscience notwithstanding all these may be deader then ever it was Thirdly because such a conscience as this may be foolish and childish and soone pleased if the conscience were alive indeed nothing would content it but the favour of God and the Image of God and true faith ' and true peace c. But this conscience may be soone pleased if it have but any colour of grace and goodnes that 's able to still it quiet it Fourthly because the conscience though it be thus stirring as ye heard it is so far from being alive that it uses to be a help furtherance unto ones lusts Fifthly because this conscience is not universall it culs out onely some particular sinnes to be violent against and lets alone others it picks out some particular duties and good courses to be very eager for and is carelesse of others You will say then what is consciences life when is the conscience said truly to be quickened For the opening of this ye must know there be two lives of conscience in a godly man The first is a relative life whereby it 's alive when the man is alive The second is a simple life The first I say is a relative life whereby it is said to be alive when the man whose it is is alive for conscience is the reflection of the soule the soules privity to it selfe between God and it selfe And therefore if the soule be alive towards God then the conscience is alive too as the Apostle sayes How much more shall the blood of Jesus Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. Marke when a mans dead workes are purged away the conscience is alive when a mans selfe is alive and his workes are alive the conscience is alive also as we say of the goodnesse of conscience so it is the life of conscience though the conscience be never so good in it selfe yet as long as the man is not good his conscience can never be good conscience is said to be good as a Messenger is said to be good namely when he bringeth good tidings as David said of Ahimaaz he is a good man and he bringeth good tidings 1 Sam. 18. 27. Though a Messenger be nere so good a man yet if he doe not bring good tideings we say he 'es an ill Messenger He sent evill Angels among them Psal 78. 49. Calvin thinkes it may be meant of good Angels yet said to be evill Angels because they brought evill upon Aegypt so that 's a good conscience that bringeth good tidings to a man that he does beleeve that he is in Christ that he is a good man True a wicked mans conscience may report well of him as Absolon did of the people O your matters are good sayes he when they were stark naught so thy conscience may flatter thee and say thy matters are good but when conscience can say truly thy matters are good The conscience is like a Register or a Bill now when it is a Bill of good Items when all thy sinnes are blotted out and good things are written in now it 's a good conscience ye know we call it a fowle Bill that hath fowle crimes written in it though the Bill be never so faire written yet if it have fowle
for his conscience he called it up every day he was active about it so that the stirrings that are in wicked men they are none of theirs but Gods meerly to pull them out of the bottomlesse pit if it might be in the meane time his conscience is as dead as himselfe Thus ye see what the life of the conscience is First there is a relative life of conscience the conscience is alive when the man is alive Secondly the conscience is alive when it makes duty so that it makes the man do his duty too when it does not onely check for evill and accuse for evill and condemne for evill and prompt a man that he should take heed of evill but it make a man doe his duty in all these so also when it does not onely urge a man to that which is good and excuse him and approve him but in all these it makes him doe his duty too so likewise when it counsels it does not onely counsell and dictate what is to be done and what not but it so does all these particulars that it makes the man to doe his duty in sincerity from day to day This is alive conscience Now that this is the live conscience I prove it unto you by five Arguments 1. Because conscience was made not onely to doe all these acts but to make a man to doe his so that when conscience does its own acts never so much that 's nothing to the life of conscience does thy conscience check thee and smite thee does it whisper never so much in thee this is no Argument it 's alive except it make thee to be obedient unto God Conscience was given man for this purpose and therefore then onely is it alive when it is for this purpose in thy Bosome when David would get up out of his temptations you may see how he got up by conscience I communed with my owne heart and my spirit sayes he made diligent search Psal 77. 6. that is he communed with his conscience what he knew about God and so got himselfe up this is thy consciences office to tell thee what thou hast heard out of the word and that is not all but to lead thee guide thee as the helme does the Ship It is given thee to be thy keeper as he sayes J was upright before him and I kept my selfe from my iniquity Psal 18. 23. that is this is my iniquity this is the sinne that I am most inclined to I must keepe my selfe from that Thus his conscience was his keeper under God Secondly another argument is because this is the way whereby godly people doe their duties their conscience makes them doe their duty it makes them beleeve it makes them feare God it makes them eschew evill and doe good from day to day Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Psal 103. 2. when the Prophet would doe this duty he made his conscience presse it soundly upon him to doe it so when he would waite upon God he set his owne soule and conscience upon him to make him to doe it waite on the Lord be of good courage he will strengthen thy heart waite I say upon the Lord Psal 27. 14. Thirdly another argument is this is the description of those that have a live conscience they are such as make themselves doe their duties continually as the Apostle sayes He that hath this hope in him purisieth himselfe even as he is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. that is he is a man that makes himselfe doe his duty his owne soule and conscience sayes thus unto him Christ is a pure Christ and I must be like him as ever I hope that he will bring me into his kingdom and this makes him doe his duty he purisieth himselfe even as he is pure I could quote abundance of places to prove this Fourthly another argument is when God speakes to any that are alive from the dead to doe their duties towards him he bids them make themselves to doe their duties on this manner so Saint Paul sayes Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the sight of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. that is goe and aske your owne soule and conscience what have I not these and these promises why then I must labour to be cleansed from all manner of sinne I must perfect holinesse in the feare of God now sayes he let us make our selves doe our duties thus Nay fifthly when God speakes to them which are yet dead and would turne them home unto him he bids them doe thus in regard of the meanes turne your selves and live you Ezek. 18. 32. that is Let your owne soules and consciences consider this is the way to live ye cannot be saved without turning as ever I would live for ever I must be turned from all my sinfull courses make your selves doe your duties in this manner that is use all the meanes that the Lord hath given you to use make your selves goe about it not as though any man hath free will to turne himselfe But he speakes of the use of all meanes that he puts into your hands make your selves to use them nay no soule can ever look to be saved except he doe not onely let his conscience check him and tell him thus and thus his duty is but also let his conscience make him doe his duty too so that this must needs be the life of the conscience when it does not onely doe its owne duty to check and to whisper but also it makes a man to doe his The use of this is first then we see here how few have live consciences for people have consciences that doe onely tell them they should be more carefull they should give over such and such sins they should beleeve and they should be zealous and they should be more setled but O how few have consciences that make them doe their duties Numb 15. 40. that ye may remember and doe all my commandements and be holy unto your God REVEL 3. 1. And art Dead WE are come to speake of this necessary point when is a man quickened up towards God and all his holy wayes We have shewed you three things concerning this already First what the life of the minde is Secondly what the life of the heart is Thirdly what the life of the conscience is Now there remaines two more the one is the life of the memory the other is the life of the affections Fourthly then what is the life of the memory for the memory too may be dead and the memory may be alive First the memory may be dead when a man may be remembers if ye aske him a thing he can tell it aske him of a Sermon he can tell the Text and the points and the particulars that were delivered in the Sermon but here 's all it 's a dead memory he never remembers it to
company dare talk of their roguery before them as Amnon before Jonadab Jonadab ask't him what he ailed he was so sad O sayes he I would fain lie with my sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 4. He knew before whom he was if Jonadab had been a godly man he durst as well have eaten his own tongue as have told him his base lust A godly man the very presence of him would have made him ashamed and to have bitten in his lips When a minister is unsent of God no body does respect him out of conscience they care not for his words whereas when a minister is sent this makes him as an Angel of God when others call him all to naught the conscience of many will plead for him as we see there of Jeremy O this man is not worthy to die for hee hath spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord Jer. 26. 16. There 's never a sent minister but if he come in trouble except peoples consciences be seared with a hot Iron they wil speak for him in their bosomes Alas why is he put down Why is he imprisoned Why is he opposed He hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord. So that this is the second wherein all ministers should agree they should be all sent of God not contenting themselves with the calling of man without being also called of God Thirdly they must all agree in the matter that they preach the same word is delivered unto all ministers to preach Preach the word 2 Tim. 4. The same Gospel the same Truths the same Duties the same Commandments the same Promises the same threatnings Ye know there is one God and one Faith and one Baptisme one Lord Jesus Christ there is but one way of life one gate to heaven one salvation one Bible Now every minister must agree in this You know all men are by Nature the children of wrath in a damned estate now all Pulpits should agree in this every minister labouring to bring their people to a sight of their misery by sinne every minister should shew his people what cursed creatures they are untill they be converted and renewed every Minister should presse the evill of sin and open the wiles of Satan the guilt of the conscience the spiritualnesse of the Law the necessity of humiliation and repentance and amendment of life that there is no mercy but in Christ no salvation but by Christ except people take him to live in their hearts by faith All ministers should let their people know the terror of the Lord the strictnesse of Gods judgements the inseparable connexion of mercy and a godly life that no profane person can enter into Gods Kingdome no hypocrite no meer civill man that a form of godlinesse will not serve turn that none but Saints shall stand at Christs right hand at the last day All ministers should preach what a narrow path there is to Paradise how few there bee that find it that saving grace cannot stand with the reign of the least lust that people must be pure and holy what ever the world think of purenesse and precisenesse and strictnesse yet without this no flesh shall be saved If all pulpits sounded with these truths and all ministers cried those aloud would lift up their voyces like a trumpet and not spare what a land should we have The want of unity in this matter is the cause that wickednesse does so much abound a drunkard a whoremaster a muckworm may come to a Sermon and goe away with hope that he shall have peace When ministers make the pulpit a scaffold in which like Masters of Defence they play their prizes blazon their own wits descant upon their text as though the Scripture were a Rattle for children and fools to sport with tossing it to and fro hither and thither as boyes at a Tennis when they go about to amaze their hearers to mount aloft to be in their high phrases and coyned words more like Mimicks and Comedians then Ministers when they search into moath-eaten Friers affect allegories would fain be thought Linguists and interlace a many of allegations of Latin and Greek sentences which a School-boy might doe with a Polyanthea or if they speak plain they skim the truth of the Scriptures and never dive deep to the edifying of the soule May be they will preach good morall matter But a man may goe to hell though he doe as they teach people may heare them a thousand times and no man made to cry out What have I done They preach of repentance but then they open it so slightly that a man may repent as they say and be damned they preach of faith in Christ but they make it so broad that thousands have it and sink into the bottomlesse pit with it they preach that sin must be forsaken and a good life must be led but they handle it in that wise that their hearers may doe as they say and yet have no more grace then a reprobate nor so much neither Now beloved the unity among brethren should be this to agree in the right matter of preaching that the word may be carved to all as their need is that they may see their own cases that they may understand the wiles of the Devil the fallacies of their own evill hearts the counterfets of faith and repentance and new obedience and that they may not be cousened with them This is the third thing Fourthly they should all agree in the true manner of preaching That which our Saviour sayes of hearing Take heed how yee heare Luke 8. 18. he means of preaching too let your Ministers take heed how they preach Beloved we that are the Ministers of God we are to labour to turn Lions into Lambs and to transform the heart of man to breed new creatures unto God and therefore it is not every kind of preaching will serve the turn 1. Then Ministers should agree in preaching with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power as Paul sayes not with the wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ be made of no effect 1 Cor. 1. 17. q. d. If we should preach wit and learning eloquence then the death of Christ would be of no effect that is no man would be converted Christ would be offered to none therefore we must preach nakedly to flash the naked word into mens consciences that they may see Thus saith the Lord against their sinful courses thus saith the Lord of their estates this reproofe is from the Lord this threat is from the Lord thus saith the Lord you are a wretch this is thy sin and this is thy cursed condition and it is the Lord and not I that does affirm it It is said of Christ that he preacht with authority and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. 29. What is it to come with authority When a man speakes from God to the consciences of men as when a Constable comes in the name of a King I
the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling down on his face hee worships God that is the Sermon is made effectuall unto him and turnes his wretched heart But observe now how this comes to passe the Text shewes in the foure and twentieth verse it is by reason of the unity of the Ministers He is convinced of all he is judged of all that is all the Ministers were of one note they all were in one consent one did not preach looser doctrine then another one told him he was a very wretch and another told him hee was a very wretch and a third convinced him hee was a very wretch all had a blow at him O thought he I I I am a very wretch indeed this burst his heart If he could have heard any one of them preach easier doctrine may bee that would have given his conscience some foolish ease and so the man had gone away never the better but when hee was convinced of all and judged of all this strikes him dumb So beloved when a man can goe into no Church but every where hee is met with all the Ministers condemn him all their lives condemn him and all their Sermons condemn him to the pit of hell and he can scramble comfort no where if the man belong to God this is the readiest way to beat him down and subdue his heart On the contrary side when a man is wounded at one Ministers Sermon by and by he drops into another and there hee catches hold of some ease this makes him goe on in his sinnes and to blind his eyes against the truth It is a great stumbling block unto the people this very thing Thirdly as it makes the Ministery more powerfull so it brings more glory unto God As it is said of John the Baptist that when our Saviour did commend him and made the people see that hee was of Johns minde and that he held the same Tenets and that hee would not speak against a tittle that John had delivered but testifyed his unity with him And made it appear what a reverend esteem hee had of him saith hee Hee is a Prophet and more then a Prophet Yee shall see how this brought glory to God The Text saith When the people heard this and the Publicans they justifyed God being baptized with the Baptisme of John Luk. 7. 29. The use of this is first to condemne such as envy their fellow-Ministers and will not bee in the unity of minde and heart and life with them In the most the Proverb is too true Figulus figulo invidet One potter hates another one Tradesman envies anothers custome so one Minister another if there bee a Minister that desires to powre out his soule in the doing of good in the taking of paines in the discharging of his Conscience there are some that will envy such a one their hearts rise up against him nay not onely so but the worst Enemy that Jeremy had was Pashur one of his own Coat Jer. 20. 2. The sorest adversary that Amos had was Amaziah a Priest of Bethel who would never leave heaving at him untill hee had gotten him away Amos 7. 12. and why so because hee would not preach such pleasing Doctrine as hee Forsooth the Land was not able to bear Amos his words hee Preaches as if hee would scare people out of their wits Hee preaches Schismatically and as if hee loved to bee singular The cheif Priests were furious against our Saviour Christ because his Ministery was more blest then theirs was nay they hated him more then Pilate Pilate a very Pagan his Conscience told him hee found no fault in him Why what evill hath hee done Their envy against Christ was so palpable that hee did discover it Hee knew that for envy they had delivered him unto him So when all the Country know in their Consciences that such and such teach the waies of God sincerely set themselves to roote out sin and to save soules nay the very Drunkards you shall hear them say I I hee is a good man Gods blessing on his heart hee tels us our faults wee may doe what wee list for all such and such but hee tells us of our faults and God help us to amend them and when they are sick they would rather have such a Ministers prayers then twenty of other Ministers that will soothe them up and bee haile-fellow with them Whereas there bee many of our own Coat that are implacable against a Minister that labours to bee faithfull How contrary is this unto the Rule The Ministers of God should bee all one and if one bee godly all should bee if one painfull all should bee so if one preach home to the conscience all should doe so they should all live as Brethren What saies our Saviour Christ Yee are the Salt of the Earth but if the Salt hath lost its savour wherewith shall it bee salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to bee cast out and to bee trodden underfoot of men Matth. 5. 13. That is Salt may season others but if it have lost its savour nothing can salt it A Minister is of an excellent calling appointed to season mens hearts but if hee have lost his savour hee can never truely bee seasoned again nothing can doe him good An evill Minister is a more desperate forlorn man than any else Secondly Another use is that all that are the Ministers of God would bee hence stirred up to be all of one minde all drawing one way all bending our forces to one and the same end the glory of God and the salvation of our people It s a fine comely thing to fee any Brethren in unity Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountaines of Zion for there the Lord commended his blessing even life for evermore Psal 133. 1 2 3. I say this is a very comely thing to see any brethren to dwell together in unity it is like the perfume of Aaron that made all his garments fragrant-sweet it is like the dews of Hermon and Zion that made all the ground fruitfull this is that which hath the Lords blessing annexed to it it is an excellent meanes unto eternall life As the Apostle saith If there bee any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies Fullfill yee my joy that yee bee like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde Philip. 2. 1 2. if it be so necessary for Brethren to bee united how much more for Brethren in the Ministery of all men Ministers have most reason to bee of one minde because wee are to teach union unto others Besides if
more and more As Solomon saith Where there is no vision the people perish Prov. 29. 18. that is where preaching is defective the people die they are spiritually dead in trespasses and in sins Can a man live without bread or without food no more can people live without constant preaching The Word is the bread of life now when this is not broken unto people they must needs dye Mark how Zachary describes them that are without preaching They are such as fit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luk. 1. 79. that is they are blinde and ignorant and livelesse dead while they live they are wicked and abominable in the power of Satan under the wrath of God strangers from the life of God such Ministers as doe not preach constantly they are soule-murtherers they are guilty of their peoples blood they doe not give them that which should quicken them up unto eternall life they should quicken them up unto newnesse of life but they doe not they should powre in the words of eternall life into their hearts but they doe not people are naturally dead to Prayer and dead to communion with God and dead to all holinesse they have no heart to purenesse and righteousnesse of walking and such Ministers doe not study to revive them Secondly as a Minister may bee the cause of his peoples deadnesse by his not Preaching so he may be the cause of their deadnesse by his Preaching when the manner of it is dead Preaching may be dead in the manner of it 7 waies First When it is too generall when they preach onely in generall That which wee say is very good for the generall but wee doe not apply our selves to every particular mans Conscience this â—eads peoples hearts Beloved it is particular Preaching that does people good When Nathan told David Thou are the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. this stirred Davids heart When Peter had said to his hearers Yee have crucifyed Christ Act. 2. 36. This prickt them to the heart Generall preaching cannot quicken First because generalls cannot act Actio est singularium as wee say It s onely a particular works Let a man preach home and in particular and this will work on the hearers This made Michah a powerfull Preacher when hee preached particularly to his peoples Conscience Truely I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin Mich. 3. 8. this made him a powerfull Prophet to quicken up his people because hee told every man his sin and smote every man conscience for his transgression No man is stirred till hee feeles his case laid open till hee sees the Minister beates upon him and hit him till the Minister treads hard upon his toes hee will never cry out Secondly Generall Preaching leaves the Sermon to the people to apply it now the people will never apply it while the world stands Nay David himself would not apply as long as Nathan dealt with him in generall as long as Nathan was speaking of a man in the clouds a rich man that had wronged a poore man Davids heart was as whole as a fish till hee came to Thou art Him Now hee cries out I have sinned Nathan was fain to make application For David would never have done it else Will a truantly Boy ever whip himself the Master may lay the rod before him but except the Master lay it on hee will goe scot-free if hee can The words of the wise are as goods and as nailes fastened by the Masters of Assemblies Eccles 12. 11. Mark the Masters of Assemblies must fasten them into the post lay the nailes by the post it self will never knock them in So though the Sermon bee never so good a naile yet hee must knock it in the people will never doe it The Prophet Jehu must come and say to Jehosaphat Shouldst thou help the ungodly Wrath is upon thee from the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. Hee fastened in the naile though Jehosaphat were a good man yet the Prophet knew he would not do it Nay people are so farre from applying the word unto themselves that they will apply it to any body else rather than to themselves the Minister met with such a one to day there was a lesson for him But none will say this was for mee and I am a vile wretch and vengeance hangs over mee unlesse I doe amend and therefore certainly generall Peaching is a dead manner of preaching Thirdly Generall Preaching is confused when Ministers tell people they must repent and beleeve and serve God and bee godly and carry themselves well in all their places and callings When they doe thus in generall this is like as if the trump should give an uncertain sound like the noise in a battle a confused noise as the Prophet speaks Esa 9. 5. Like the confusion in Ephesus Great is Diana of the Ephesians they kept a great stirre Act. 19. 32. the Text saith The assembly was confused and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together so while wee preach onely in the generall Great is the Lord Jesus Christ and wee are great sinners and great is the need of repentance but wee neither tell the people how nor when nor who nor what may bee our Sermons may keep some pudder in mens Consciences but people have no distinct edification they goe away and say O it was a very godly Sermon I pray God give us grace to follow it But no man is the better They heare admirable things about repentance but they are not taught how to goe about it there they are at a losse They remember gracious things about the serving of God and about a good Conscience and the like But they know not how in the earth to set about these things to any purpose if ever wee would quicken our peoples hearts wee must let them see distinctly the will of God concerning them the particular means and helps and signes of it the particular motives and Arguments to it the particular circumstances of it the particular hinderances lets and impediments of doing of it and you can never doe the will of God as long as yee doe thus and thus and this course will break your neck this practise of yours will bee your utter undoing when people heare distinct Preaching this doth them good if any thing will Generall Preaching is like the setting of good Physick before the Patient without giving him directions for the taking of it Fourthly Generall Preaching is deceitfull Est dolus in generalibus as wee say there is deceit in the generalls wee Preach that people must love God and feare him and thank him and they must bee new men and they must leave their sinnes and they must Pray and hear the Word and they must doe every thing to Gods glory Now mark what deceit there is in such preaching as this this is in the generall People goe away and
are not moved themselves and therefore this does not move them neither when people can see through a Minister that hee does not preach out of his owne heart this deadeth their hearts God bade Ezekiel eate the Book c. Secondly The manner of preaching is cold when the Sermon is not delivered in a lively manner when hee preaches dully and bluntly The Apostle shews in the first of the Colossians that Epaphras did a great deale of good in his Ministery at Colosse Now in the fourth of the Colossians and the 13 verse the Apostle saith hee was a zealous Preacher I bear him record saith hee that hee hath a great zeale for you But when a Minister hath a cold delivery this is a great hinderance to the Word You will say how can this bee Is it not the same word whether preached coldly or with heat Yes it is But the Word hath two things in it first the bare naked truth secondly the fatherly affectionatenesse of God in the same Now a zealous Minister le ts the people in some measure see both But a dull Ministery holds out the one and hideth the other Again though the Word onely convert it is not the Minister that works but the Word yet the Minister is appointed of God to bee a meanes to draw peoples attentions to the word Now when hee does it in a cold manner the people are the more apt to let fall their intentions and not mark it Thus you see how a Minister may bee guilty of the deadnesse of his people two waies first by his not preaching at all Secondly by his dead manner of preaching There is one more yet remaines and that is Thirdly by his dead life and conversation an evill life in the Minister makes preaching seem vile When hee makes it appear by his course that hee makes no conscience of framing his life according to his own teaching Is strict in the Pulpit and dissolute in the street I confesse many are ready to quarrell with the lives of their Teachers without cause as the false Apostles with Paul as though hee were carnall 2 Cor. 10. 2. But when a man will bee a Minister and yet walk like men hating to bee reformed and running into the same excesse of riot with others how doth this harden peoples hearts and deadeth the Doctrine it self it makes preaching seem but a â—oy When a man will seem to perswade to that which hee neglects himself and to cry out against that of which himself doth make a common practise Let no man despise thee sayes Paul unto Timothy You will say how shall that be Be you an example unto them that Beleeve 1 Tim. 4. 12. But I am prevented of time There is nothing that more deads a mans Ministery then this when the people know in their Consciences that the Minister is as vile as one of them Let him preach never so excellent things they will say alas alas wee know hee loves his penny hee loves the pot hee is not right no more then one of us But I am forced to give over The use of this is First Is it so that a Minister may be the cause why the people are dead Then here we see the reason why the Devill is so busie to poyson Ministers He knowes if he can poyson Them he can quickly poyson all the Parish well-neare Simon Simon Satan hath desired to sift thee Luc. 22. 31. when Joshua was exercising the office of the High-Priest Satan stood at his right hand Zach. 3. 1. The Devill is like the Syrians O sayes he fight neither against small nor great save only against the King of Israel If they could slay him they knew they should quickly take his Armie so if the Devill can take the Minister he cares not If he can make him a worldling or a drunkard or a Drone or a Pluralist that is it he desires The deading of one Minister deads a 100. others if he can be a lying spirit in a Ministers mouth he is able to deceive 200. at once Secondly Here we see that Ministers of all men should have a care to be quickned For if we be not quickned Brethren our guiltinesse is very great we shall involve many others in our sinne It will go hard with every private person that is dead to all goodnesse He cannot be saved he cannot escape the second death How then can a dead Minister escape that hath not onely his owne deadnesse to answer for but also the deadnesse of all his people What sayes the Lord to the Ministers of the dead Churches of Sardis Repent Repent sayes he lest I come against thee as a theefe in an hower before thou art aware Rev. 3. 3. And therefore let vs be awakened that wee may be quickned Beloved the times now are very dead and it is wee that are the Ministers of the Church have let this deadnes in our not being watchfull our not being lively and stirring in our places our not being quickened O what wrath hangs upon us if we doe not labour for life that we may communicate it unto our people The common deadnesse up and downe should be an argument unto us to excite us When Elisha saw the badnesse of the Church in his dayes he was very earnest to have the spirit of Elias doubled upon him 2 King 2. 9. We have need of a double spirit of the good Ministers of God that were before us the dayes doe require it never was there more deadnesse then now is There are not many that professe holinesse at all but of them that doe O how many are dead and without life now who should bee a meanes to quicken people but wee Thirdly This should teach good people to pray for their Ministers the more quickned the Ministers be it is the better for them But if they be dead the infection will descend downe into you When Paul and Silas went out to preach the Text sayes They were Commended by the Brethren to the grace of God Act. 15. 40. Fourthly This should be an exhortation to us of the Ministery that wee would take heed unto our selves and to all the Church of God that is committed unto our charge that we would rouze up our selves and specially now when there was never more need When the children of Israel were about to goe backe againe into Egypt the Text sayes how Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Congregation of Israel to beseech them to forbeare Num. 14. 5. They were so mightily affected with the peoples sinne that they fell upon their faces before them q. d For the Lords sake and for your own soules sake Take heed of this sin What! will you pull all Heaven about your eares Will you provoke the living God against you O my Brethren take heed what yee doe so wee should doe we should labour to be affected with our own and our peoples deadnesse Wee should call upon them to be quickned
that it makes a man to doe his freely to accuse himselfe The just man first accuseth himselfe Prov. 18. 17. So it is in the Greek and the Latin Hast thou such a Conscience as this this is a lively Conscience when thy Conscience does not onely doe its duty to accuse thee for every sinne that thou dost but it makes thee to doe thine freely to accuse thy selfe before God a wicked Conscience may accuse I but it does not mak the man to do his duty he does not freely accuse himselfe it is onely forced in him it is with Coaction and Compulsion But it s free in Gods Children when Daniel went to confesse his sinnes before God the Text says he set himself to do it I set my face unto the Lord God Dan. 9. 3. that is his Conscience did not onely doe its duty in this thing but it made him to doe his Thirdly when it does not onely Condemne one for sinne for so the wicked have condemning Consciences as the Apostles says if our heart condemne us 1 John 3 20. that is if we be wicked as Paul sayes Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe Tit. 3. 11. that is he is a very wicked Creature so that a wicked mans Conscience does Condemne But I meane when the Conscience does not onely condemne one for sinne it does not onely doe its owne duty in this thing but it makes the man to doe his it makes him trample upon himselfe as a damned wretch in himselfe to save God a labour as the Apostles speakes if we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11. 31. when Conscience makes a man freely to accept of damnation thou shalt accept of thy punishment then I will remember my Covenant Levit 26. 41. 42. when it makes thee lay thy Neck on the block Lord the worst place in hell is too good for me I have often told you a story in the acts and monuments of the Church when Edward the first one of the Kings of England was a hunting and one of the standers by had displeased him the King rid after him with a drawne sword for to stab him the man runne away for his life the King rid over hedge and ditch to overtake him and when the man saw he had no way to escape he fell downe and held up his throat to the King if it please your Majesty here is my throat The King melting towards him shewed him mercy So when Conscience makes thee say Lord here is my throat here is my soule if it please thee thou maist send Satan to take it and carry it to hell with him Thou hast no way to escape therefore offer thy selfe unto God may be thy Conscience does Condemne thee alas that is not it thy Conscience does not its duty with any life till it make thee doe thine doest thou freely Condemne thy selfe accept of thy punishment lay thy head on the block does thy soule lye groveling before God this is a live Conscience Fourthly when it does not onely pull a man a dayes from sinne and Iniquity so it may doe with the wicked and the ungodly they feele many pulles every day and may be their Conscience makes them leave many particular sinnes though that 's very rare as the times now be but when the Conscience pulles a man forth of every knowne sinne when it so does its duty in this kinde that it makes thee to doe thine when thou pullest thy selfe withall detestation and loathing out of pride out of security out of unbelief out of heardnesse of heart out of formality and all this is a lively Conscience as Iob sayes my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job 27. 6. that is as my heart does its duty towards me so it shall make me doe mine I will yeeld to mine owne Conscience in every thing whatsoever sinne it tels me off I will be sure to set my selfe against it it shall not lie heaving at me and I never stirre then it would reproach me but it shall never reproach me so long as I live These are the lively acts of Conscience about sinne The lively effects whereof are foure The first is a penitent shame that ever a man should sin against God when Conscience does thus as ye have heard then it produces this effect that the man is ashamed before God as the Apostle sayes what fruit have you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6. 21. people are apt to be ashamed before men Diodorus Cronus when Stilpo askt him a ridiculous question and he could not answer him he was so ashamed that he fell downe starke dead he thought it was such a disgrace to be nonplust But if Conscience were alive and did doe its duty indeed it would make us ashamed for our sinnes before God Ezra was ashamed before God for the sinnes of the people I blush sayes he to lift up mine eyes unto thee when a man is Ignorant of God in Jesus Christ this should be a shame I speake this to your shame 1 Cor. 15. 34. that is if there be any grace in your hearts certainely ye will be ashamed that ye should have no more knowledge of God I say when the Conscience is alive against sinne it makes a man ashamed before God It shewes him his nakednesse before heaven it propounds God before his eyes seeing all his uncleanenesse and so it makes him ashamed before him doest thou Count it a disgrace to doe evill a disgrace to offend God a confusion of face to doe iniquity though it be never so secret Canst thou not looke upon thy unworthy dealings with God but it makes thee ashamed in his sight this is the effect of a living Conscience Secondly another effect is penitent griefe and compunction of heart ye may see this effect in the new converts they were prickt in their hearts Act. 2. 37. when their Conscience began to be alive to smite them for their sinnes to accuse them and Condemne them it grieved them exceedingly it went to the quick it was like a Dagger in their heart it prickt them it made them mourn for all that they had done True a naturall Conscience produces griefe ther 's nere a wretch but if his Conscience be awakened to Check him and accuse him and condemne him it will make him to grieve for his sinnes But this is onely legall and surly Now when the Conscience is alive to doe its duty as to make the man to doe his now it makes him grieve out of love to God out of love to grace and goodnesse now he grieves because he hath broken those Commandements that he loves he loves to obey God O it is the unfeigned desire of his soule to obey him and therefore he grieves that he hath done the Contrary Thirdly another effect is penitent feare It makes a man afraid to sin against God againe as the Apostle