Proverâ—ial speech Conscience is a thousand Witnesses nay it 's more then a thousand or ten thousand Witnesses that one Witness is enough to cast us If Conscience be a Witness there is no need of any further Witness As they said of Christ What need we any further witness we have it from his own mouth So will the Lord say to the Sinner What need any further Witness his own Conscience is Witness You read of the Testimony of Conscience sometimes it is for and sometimes against 1. It is sometimes for us as 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our Conscience that in all simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2. And sometimes against us and then 't is a Hell above ground a Hell on this side Hell 3. It further follows that Conscâ—ence is a Power of the Soul takinâ— notice of and bearing witness of a mans Thoughts Words and Actions so that the Thoughts shall not escape Consciences observation nor shall a Word escape Consciences hearing nor a Work Consciences recording And as Conscience finds the Thoughts Words or Actions either agreeing or not agreeing with the Rule it will excuse or accuse Conscience cannot be a Witness of our Thoughts Words and Actions whether they be according to the Rule or contrary to it whether they agree with the Rule or warp from it unless it be a strict Observer And if it find our Thoughts Words and Actions to agree with the Rule it excuseth if not to agree with the Rule it accuseth Rom. 2. 15. Their thoughts in the mean while accusing or excusing one another 4. And then it follows absolving or condemning For the truth is Conscience is a Judge a Deputy Judge which God hath set up and given Power to that according as it finds Thoughts Words and Actions to be according to Rule or not according to Rule it may either acquit or condemn 5. And then it comforteth or tormenteth also as it findeth thoughts words and actions either to agree or not to agree with the Rule 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the Testimony of our Conscience there is the comfort of Conscience And Mark 9. 44. It is a Worm that never dieth there is the torment of it Thus you see Conscience is a Power of the Soul taking notice and bearing Witness of all a mans thoughts words and actions and as it finds them either agreeing or not agreeing with the Rule it excuseth or accuseth absolveth or condemneth comforteth or tormenteth This is called Conscience 〈◊〉 It is called Conscience some think â—â—cause it is a Knowledge with othâ—â— Pray observe God knows Angels know Devils know Men know and all these witness and Conscience knows and witnesseth with them 1. God knows if you read Job 16. 19. My witness is in Heaven my record is on high There is one in Heaven that knows and one in Heaven that can witness though the husband doth not know though the wife doth not know and father and friend doth not know yet God knows and there is one on earth knows and that is Conscience God is my witness saith Paul Rom. 1. 9. God doth know it and can witness it All things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 13. It is a notable Scripture Hos. 7. 2. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness Whoever forgets it and though they themselves forget it yet I remember it well enough They do not consider that I remember all their wickedness their own doings have beset them about they are all before my face even what is not be fore the Husbands face and the Wifes face God knows what things are acted behind one anothers backs all is before Gods Face he knows it and takes notice of it 2. Angels know it too the Angels are Ministring Spirits about some they are imployed here on Earth though we take no notice of it They are in our Congregations and Meetings and they observe how we carry our selves there For this cause ought the Woman to have power on her head because of the Angels saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 10. i.e. The Woman is to be modest in the Congregation because of the Angels The Lord return Modesty home again for Modesty seems to be banished from among us But do Angels know do the good Angels know Yes when we do well the good Angels rejoyce if a Sinneâ— be converted if the lost Sheep be found there is joy among the Angels therefore they know it 3. The bad Angels know too they go about as Observers You cannot go to the Congregation but the Devil makes one there The Sower goes out to sow the good Seed then comes the Enemy the Devil and steals it away Matth. 13. 19. He also goes about as a roaring Lion every where 1 Pet. 5. 8. He goes to and fro in the earth and walks up and down in it Job 1. 7. observing what People do for he is the Accuser of the Brethren and he will when time serves remember people of what they have done though done by his instigation and temptation see Zech. 3. 1. Poor Creatures are tempted to destroy â—hemselves well God delivers them â—nd now they are ashamed O what â— shame is this saith the Devil that thou hast attempted to destroy thy self how canst thou look any body in the face without shame go and destroy thy self This was the case of a poor Creature that I have twice spoken with once she attempted to drown her self I spake with her and gave her the best counsell could she answered me I am ashamed I am ashamed I cannot go about any thing Not many days after she went into a Wood to cut her own Throat but God delivered her but this poor Creature is still under discontent the Devil doth remember her I beseech you consider how many Witnesses there are of all that you do you think to sin in the dark and to do it so that no Eye shall see you you think to draw the Curtains and then none can see you but you deceive your selves it is Noon Day with God still and so it is with Angels and with the Devil too there is nothing hid fraâ— them 4. Men know they are 〈◊〉 Observers Some have their ey◠〈◊〉 their heads and see that which should make their eyes weep and trickle down with tears and if they have any Zeal for God the sight of their Eyes will affect their Hearts And besides this Conscience also knows and therefore called Conscience as some think because it knows with others It knoweth with God with Angels with Devils and knows it to be all true which God lays to our charge and what the Devil lays to our charge so that Conscience is a Knowledge together with others Rom. 9. 1. My Conscience bearing me witness My
Conscience co-witnessing my Conscience witnessing together with God God knows it and doth witness it and my Conscience knows it and doth witness it and my Conscience together with me knows it There is a double Act of the Understanding there is a Direct Act whereby we know a thing and there is a Reflect Act whereby we know that we know it And this is the Action of Conscience Isa. 59. 12. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins they testifie against us for our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them we know that we have sinned So that Conscience is a recoiling or a reflexion of the Soul upon it self according to that of Paul 1 Cor. 4. 4. II. General I come in the next place to shew about what Conscience is imploy'd it is imploy'd about the whole man and all his actions It hath a Commission thus to employ it self about the understanding how that doth act about the memory to observe how that doth act about the will how that doth act and the Affections how they do act it is imployed to observe whether the man be sanctified or not and it is imployed about his Actions whether they be good or bad about our actions towards God or Man towards our selves or others And it is imployed about every thing that is either a Sin or a Duty Conscience is imployed to observe how you eat and drink it is imployed to observe how you dress and habit your selves how you buy and sell and deal and trade in the World it is imployed to observe how you read the Scripture pray in your Family in your Clozet and in the Congregation how you sanctifie the Sabbath receive Sacraments how you spend your time how long you lye a Bed in a morning how late you set up at night and about what to observe how you carry your selves alone and how you carry your selves in Comyany to observe what you do in the Streets or in the Field in this place or in the other place in this Company or in the other Company it goeth along with you and it will never leave you God help me to mind this I hope you will make the same prayer for your selves that I make for my self III. General How Conscience is imployed From the Description of Conscience which I have given you you may understand that Conscience hath several Offices the Office of a Notary or Register the Office of a Witness or Accuser the Office of a Judge or a Condemner the Office of a Comforter or a Tormenter Conscience is imployed in such Offices as these are and Conscience will first or last be faithful in the execution of them and it will do it's Office to purpose 1. It is imployed as a Notary or Register to write down all we do to write it down as with the Point of a Diamond to Book it down and Seal it up that it may come to Light again 2. It is imployed as an Accuser when we do amiss when we warp from the Rule 3. It is imployed as a Judge to pass sentence of life or death Oh Sirs how many poor souls are condemned by their own hearts Their own Consciences tell them thou art a Damned Creature thou art an undone soul it may be Conscience as yet doth not set in Judgment it is not Sessions or Assizes time with you it may be it is adjourned and put of to a longer time But assure your selves the time will come the time is at hand 4. Conscience is also imployed as a Comforter as an Acquitter and Absolver if we do well 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. we have had our conversation in the world What greater rejoycing then this When Conscience shall acquit me in the prescence of God when Conscience shall be able to say as Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Oh what a comfort will it be when Conscience shall reflect upon it's believing in Christ upon it's confession of sin repentance and tears sighs and groans for sin This is my rejoycing the testimony of my Conscience that I have been alone in a corner in my Clozet with tears in mine eyes and sorrow in my heart that I have rolled my self on Christ and cast all my caâ—e upon him 5. Then as a Tormenter Conscience is imployed When Conscience shall recoil and thus reflect upon a man When thou shouldsâ— have been in thy Clozet thou wast here or there in the Street or in the Field in the Coffee House or Taverns when thou shouldst have been with God alone thou hast been elswhere Thou couldst lye down and rise up without having God beâ—fore thine Eyes thou couldst eat and drink without fear and without rule and buy and sell and habiâ— thy self without fear There is aâ— much danger in habiting and dressing our selves as in eating and drinking O what if this dress should be a snare what if this should occasion the committing of Adultery He that looks upon a Woman to lust after her saith Christ hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Saith one There is a fine clear skin and so saith a second and a third but do you know what temptation may lye in a naked skin the Lord help us to take heed of it I would commend you a little Book it is but 3 pence price it is called The Hairy Comet very fit for an Hairy Age. This is indeed an Hairy Age God deliver us from False Hearts for we can see almost nothing but False Heads every where Assure your selves Conscience will have a bout with men for this another day Conscience will not let this go unobserved Conscience doth write down this and will hereafter find a time to read it to you It may be the Wife will say I must please my Husband and the Husband will say I must please my Wise. But have a care I beseech you to please Conscience that it may not be against you another day See that Conscience be for you and that Conscience may have no cause to upbraid you and torment you another day Let Jobs care be your care let not Conscience reproach you so long as you live I beseech you earnestly let it be your great care to have A Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man towards your selves and others And if you so do you will have no cause to repent your being here to hear this Lesson SERMON II. JOB 27. 6. My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not reproaoh me so long as I live THis was Jobs Resolution why should it not be ours Those that have felt the Reproaches of Conscience once would be loth to feel them a second time The very bruit Beasts when once they
time to smite with the fift and to give correction and then there will be no enduring of it as it was with David when his Heart smote him Psal. 69. 7. If shame covered Davids Face when men reproached him Oh what shame will cover our Faces when Conscience shall reproach us Reproach hath broken my heart saith he and I am full of heaviness I looked for some to take pity but there was none and for comforters but I found none Ver. 20. This will be your case and your complaint when Conscience shall reproach you Reproach hath broken my heart They gave me Gall for meat and Vinegar to drink saith he Ver. 21. Conscience will give Gall and Vinegar to us unless some course be taken for the quieting of it if you make it not your care so to live that Conscience may not reproach you To be able to say For Gods sake I have born reproach Psal. 69. 7. will be a comfort but if for our Lusts sake we bear reproach what a Torment will that be When Conscience shall say This is for the sake of that proud Lust this is for the sake of that drunken Lust that wanton Lust of thine this is for that Passion of thine that froward and fretful Spirit of thine when Conscience shall say This is for the sake of such a Lust which thou didst indulge and kept as a sweet morsel under thy tongue notwithstanding the persuasions of all Gods Ministers to the contrary how wilt thou be able to bear it Vse 2. Of Exhortation Take care that Conscience may not have occasion to reproach you while you live The Reasons before mentioned may serve as Motives The unavoidableness and intolerableness of these reproaches of Conscience these are Motives enough to engage us to take all care that Conscience may not reproach us Let it be your care to have a Conscience void of offence Prov. 15. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 12. and then Conscience instead of accusing will excuse instead of condemning it will acquit you If you hearken to the voice of Conscience informed and guided by the Word of God it will be a continual feast unto you Prov. 15. 15. and your daily rejoycing This is our rejoycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world When a man hath Conscience on his side this will be a Cordial in any condition whatsoever in a Prison a Cordial in a Dungeon a Cordial in a strange Country and a Cordial in the worst of sufferings that we 〈◊〉 meet with Keep Conscience void of offence and so live that Conscience may not reproach you and all will be well How may we so live you will say that Conscience may not reproach us while we live or if we have so lived that Conscience hath had cause to reproach us how may we get those reproaches wiped off and get Conscience quiet again That I shall reserve for another opportunity SERMON III. JOB 27. 6. My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not reproach me so long as I live HAving already shewed you what Conscience is and about what it is imployed and how it is imployed and given you several reasons why we should make it our great care so to live that Conscience may not reproach us while we live and having made some Use of the Doctrine I now come to resolve two questions or cases 1. The first is how may we so live walk and act and carry our selves that Conscience may have no cause to reproach us another day 2. If we have so lived so walked so acted and so carryed our selves that Conscience hath had just cause to reproach us and doth reproach us what is to be done that the reproaches of Conscience may be wiped off that Conscience may be quiet and cease to accuse and condemn cease to vex and torment These are the two cases I am to answer Case 1. How may we so live walk act and carry our selves that Conscience may have no cause to reproach us You see that Job did so live and carry himself that though his friends did reproach him his Conscience did not reproach him though his friends did charge him yet his Conscience did discharge him though his friends did condemne him yet his Conscience did acquit him He did so live that he was able to maintain his Integrity and Uprightness and doubtless it is not a thing impossible but we do not set to it we do not set about it in earnest If we be Christians indeed and not almost Christians we might so live as Conscience might have no just cause to reproach us O Sirs Relations may reproach us Wives may reproach Husbands and Husbands reproach Wives Children may reproach Parents and Servants reproach their Masters and one Neighbour reproach another but it is possible so to live that Conscience all this while may be at peace and not reproach us Possibly you may be ready to think and say within your selves Would we could tell how we might so live pray let us have some directions how we may so live that Conscience may not reproach us But before I give counsel should not I know of you whether you will follow it And in case you will not follow it why should I give it Ask your selves therefore if the Minister shall give us no other counsel then what God himself giveth us should not I follow it Sirs if I give you any other counsel then what God in his holy Word doth give you I would intreat you not to follow it nay if you set it at naught I shall not be offended Consider what Jethro said to Moses Exod. 18. 23. If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so so say I Therefore consider whether God say as I say whether God command you so if so pray take heed how you do set at naught the Counsel of God Now the first Direction which I shall give you is this Direction I. Set God always before you And this will be a means so to live that Conscience may not reproach you Assure your selves there is no time wherein Gods Back is turned no time wherein Gods Eye is not upon you if you can find a time when God is absent you may take your liberty and do what you list You know of what force the Masters presence is among the Servants of what force the Parents presence is among the Children to restrain them of what force the presence of a Minister or a grave serious and holy Christian is to restrain People from what otherwise they would take liberty to do Sure Gods Presence should be of greater force to restrain us if we did but live in the Apprehension thereof O if we could but set God always before us what manner of persons should we be in all holy Convâ—rsation all holy cogitation and