difference between the holy and the profane Now the question is this Where in lieth the difference between the quiâ— conscience of the righteous and thâ— quiet conscience of the wicked Answ The difference between them lieth iâ— foure things 1. In the thing it self 2. In the cause 3. In the effect 4. Iâ— the continuance I. In the thing it self The quiet conscience in the godly is double not onely apparentiall and nominall but reaâ— and substantiall It is quiet and quiâ— too Isai 57.19 peace and peace too I create tâ— fruit of the lips peace peace Marâ— peace and peace too peace in appearance and peace in truth and substance also But the peace and quiet of consciencâ— which the wicked have is not such peace It is peace and no peace peace â—n appearance but no peace in truth Their god is the god of this world â—nd he perswadeth them they have peace But my God saith the prophet â—peaketh otherwise vers 21. There is no peace to â—he wicked saith my God They talk of a good conscience sometimes and boast they have a good conscience but the â—ruth is they cannot have true peace within for saith the prophet the wickâ—d is like the troubled sea which cannot â—est whose waters cast up mire and dirt So doth a wicked mans conscience seâ—retly cast up mire and dirt in his face His peace can onely be outward and apparentiall II. There is a difference in the cause The quiet of a good conscience ariseth â—rom one cause and the quiet of a bad â—onscience ariseth from another 1. The quiet of a good conscience â—riseth from a distinct knowledge of the word of God and of the precepts and promises conteined in it But the quiet of an evil conscience ariseth from ignorance When men know not Goâ— nor his holy word which should binâ— conscience they fear nothing becausâ— they see nothing they know not thâ— danger of sinne Like a blind maâ— standing before the mouth of a cannon he feareth no danger because hâ— seeth none so carnall men fear not because they know not what cause theâ— have to fear Their very prayers thâ— they make are an abomination to Goâ— and they know it not their good duties they do are all like cockatrices egâ— and they know it not they know noâ— that they are in the bond of iniquitie iâ— the snare of the devil Their conscienceâ— are quiet because they know not whaâ— cause they have to be otherwise Thiâ— is one difference The quiet and peacâ— of a good conscience ariseth from lighâ— and from knowledge the quiet anâ— peace of an evil conscience from darknesse and ignorance Heb. 10.22 2. The quiet of a good consciencâ— ariseth from a due examination of ouâ—selves by the word and purging of ouâ— consciences Conscience never can beâ— good without purging and sprinkling â—o nor without a due examination the â—uiet of a good conscience ariseth from â—is Whereas the quiet of a wicked â—ans conscience ariseth from want of â—is He never examineth his consciâ—ce but letteth it sleep till God awake â— with horrour I say a wicked mans â—onscience sleepeth and that maketh it â—uiet and he is not troubled nor moâ—sted with it Like a baillif or sergeant â—â—llen asleep by the way the desperate â—btour whom he lieth in wait for may â—sse by him then and find him very â—iet and not to offer to arrest him â—r like a curst dog fallen asleep a â—anger may passe by him then and not 〈◊〉 meddled with Such like is this quiet â—il conscience 3. The quiet of a good conscience â—iseth from a good ground from the â—ork of Gods Spirit from true saving â—ace from righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 â—e reade of righteousnesse and peace â—rue peace of conscience ariseth from â—ghteousnesse Whereas the false peace â—f the wicked ariseth onely from vain hopes and conceits They are not guilâ— of such and such great sinnes or Thâ— are not so bad as some others As the Phâ—risee's conscience was quiet why â— God I thank thee I am not as other mâ—â— are no drunkard extortioner nor liâ— this publicane Or perhaps from thiâ— ground their peace ariseth The Lorâ— is very mercifull and The Lord Jesâ—â— died for sinners Or perhaps this iâ— their plea They are good comers to churcâ— They have prayers in their families Thâ— have been professours of Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 many yeares From hence they dreaâ— of peace upon false grounds when â— the way of peace they have not knowâ— When conscience shall be awaked theâ— it will tell them how they have by flatery deceived their own souls and thaâ— having no true righteousnesse they could have no true peace 4. The quiet of a good consciencâ— ariseth from tendernesse and from life Therefore the Apostle joyneth together life and peace Rom. 8.6 Truâ— peace of conscience ariseth from life â— whereas the quiet of a wicked conscience ariseth from searednesse and beâ—mbednesse and deadnesse when men â—eing past feeling of sinne are not trouâ—ed at the committing of it Thus ye â—e the second thing wherein the diffeâ—nce lieth namely in the cause III. They differ in the effect First â—he effect of the quiet of a good conâ—cience is comfort and rejoycing Rom. 5.1 Beâ—â—g justified by faith we have peace with â—od through our Lord Jesus Christ What followeth By whom we have acâ—sse by faith rejoycing c. Mark The â—eace of conscience bringeth forth reâ—ycing And so in other places peace â—nd joy are joyned together Rom. 15.13 Gal. 5.22 But the â—vil conscience though quiet wanteth his rejoycing If carnall men had no â—ore mirth then what the quiet and â—eace of their consciences doth help â—hem to they would not be so merrie â—s most of them be Secondly Anoâ—her effect of true peace of conscience â— It sanctifieth the soul it purgeth the â—eart purifieth the life and reformeth â—he whole man It is the instrument whereby God sanctifieth his people more and more 1. Thess 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you wholly Observe the title which the Apostle there giveth unto God when he sanctifieth his people he calleth him the God of peace he sanctifieth his people by peace It maketh them think thus We must not do thus or thus as others do we shall lose the peace of our conscience if we do This maketh them strive against sinne denie their own wills and carnall appetites If I should not do so I should have no peace This peace sanctifieth But the peace which carnall men seem to have doth not sanctifie the soul they are never the more holy for the same Again another effect of the peace of a good conscience is to put life into us in the performance of good duties it maketh us with gladnesse and delight perform the duties of our generall and particular callings But the false peace of an evil conscience suffereth the wicked to be dead and dull to good duties The true peace keepeth our hearts and our minds We should
Whosoever calleth upon the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 Hence the wicked may falseâ—y conclude I call upon the Lord and I pray unto him therefore I shall be saved And so on the contrarie a weak Christian who findeth not in himself those degrees of grace which some places of Scripture seem to require concludeth from thence against himself Therefore I have no grace at all This is a second â—cause of mistaking Reas 3 3. A third cause is the not trying â—nd examining our own hearts Some â—re loth to trouble themselves about it They are loth to think so bad of themselves as that they are in such a course as wherein God will not love them Nay they cannot endure that others should discover their hearts unto them They had as lieve they should shew them the pit of hell as shew them themselves They look to some common gifts and graces that are in them such gifts and graces as may be in a reprobate but they will not think so as illumination knowledge the gift of prayer of temperance c. These they look to and these they speak of though they have reigning lusts within in their hearts As Jehu Come see my zeal saith he 2. Kings 10.16 He doth not say Come see my pride and hypocrisie but my zeal Jehu looked at his zeal and so thought he was right So on the contrarie weak Christians may sometimes look onely at their sinnes and infirmities and take no notice of Gods graces that are in them and so may mistake their own selves and conclude amisse of their estates Thus I have shewed you the reasons why men are mistaken about their estates Now I will shew you the reasons why men are mistaken though conscience do tell them 1. Because the speeches of conscience in the wicked many times yea most times are low speeches The gnawings of conscience whereby they are told they are in a bad and a damned estate are like the gnawings of a very little worm that a man can hardly feel Where their worm dieth not Isa 66.24 The word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a very little worm that breedeth in scarlet that a man can very hardly see or perceive so men sometimes do hardly see or perceive the condemning and gnawing of conscience Again conscience biteth suddenly as I told you it giveth a little nip and away Like a sparrow that flieth by it flieth so fast by a mans eye that he can scarce tell whether it be a sparrow or no So it is not easily perceived whether it be a condemning conscience or no it giveth such sudden nips and away that men seldome take notice Beloved there is never a wicked man under heaven unlesse he be delivered up absolutely to a reprobate sense but hath a thousand of these sudden momentany nips every day in the yeare Had he the heart to observe them but he hath not he might see his wretched estate to trouble him and provoke him to Christ and to be converted that God might heal him I say had he a heart he might see it but these nips are so secret and sudden that he doth not So likewise it is with the godly in regard of true comfort Their conscience suddenly flasheth in comfort and they many times do not observe it As Job speaketh of God Lo Job 9.11 he goeth by me and I see him not he passeth on also and I perceive him not So doth the Lord go by his children in the sudden flashes of comfort in their conscience but many times they see him not perceive him not 2. Because the devil blindeth mens eyes therefore they do not see what their consciences do shew them Ye may reade this of the wicked people in Corinth 2. Cor. 4.2 St Paul saith he commended himself and the Gospel to every mans conscience in the sight of God that is He did so preach and so live that every mans conscience could not choose but say Certainly Paul preacheth the truth and Paul liveth right and we must live as he speaketh and doeth He made their consciences say thus and to tell them they were not right if they did not But mark what followeth Some did not see this Why The god of this world saith he hath blinded their eyes So the god of this world blindeth the eyes of the wicked that what their consciences shew them they do not see it nor observe it So for Gods people Though they be in a good and a blessed estate and their consciences can say it yet Satan oftentimes hindreth them that they do not perceive their own comfort 3. Men do not love conscience We should love conscience better then the dearest friend we have under heaven We would do much for a friends sake but we should do a thousand times more for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 Obey Magistrates for conscience sake suffer disgrace reproches any thing for conscience sake It is better then all the friends in the world But the wicked they do not love conscience let conscience speak they care not to heare it They will heare friends but they will not heare conscience Let their lusts call and their profits and pleasures call for this and that thing they heare all but they love not to heare conscience Nay many wicked men are angry to heare talk of it When Paul had made mention of conscience Ananias commanded he should be smitten Acts 23.1 Men and brethren saith Paul I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Smite him on the mouth saith the high Priest Ananias He was angry to heare him talk of a good conscience This is most certain men do not love conscience nor to be curbed by conscience nor informed by conscience They had as lieve see the devil as that their consciences should inform them of their estates and tell them thus and thus they are They are told rightly and yet they are mistaken because they do not love to heare conscience of that theme Of a good and bad conscience YE have heard concerning the witnesse-bearing of conscience about our estates The next thing to be spoken of is that welknown distinction of â— Good and a Bad conscience This diâ—tinction we reade of in Scripture Concerning a good conscience see Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good conscience Concerning a bad conscience see Heb. â—0 22 Having our hearts sprinkled from â—n evil conscience There be both the members Of the distinction of them both briefly and in order and first of a good conscience The goodnesse of conscience is two-fold naturall and renewed Concerning a good conscience 1. The naturall goodnesse of conscience consisteth in those reliques of goodnesse which it reteineth since the creation Ye know man depraved and corrupted his conscience by his fall yet there be some reliques left as reason and knowledge and reflexion I do not mean reliques of any spiritual goodnesse in conscience For as there is no
spirituall goodnesse left in the other faculties of the soul so neither in conscience But the naturall goodnesse which I mean is nothing else but the veracity of conscience whereby it is inforced according to the knowledge it hath to tell the truth Thus every wicked man hath a good conscience Their conscience is good in that sense their conscience hath this naturall goodnesse that it telleth them the truth how it is with them Nay it is essentiall to conscience to be good in this sense It is the essentiall property of conscience to speak according to its knowledge It is the best faculty a wicked man hath it is better then his mind or heart or will There is more goodnesse in a wicked mans conscience then in any other of the powers of his soul His conscience speaketh more for God then himself doth and standeth more for God then himself will Not but that as all the powers of the soul are desperately corrupted by sinne so conscience is desperately corrupted as well as any of them but I speak of the essentiall goodnesse of it which can never be lost The deâ—ls in hell have not lost the goodnesse â— their essence Nay their essence is â—etter then the essence of Gods Saints â—â—eir essence must be good because that â— God 's creature nay better then any â—ans essence because the Lord made â—â—em a degree above man And as man â— a degree above beasts so angels are degree above man so conscience is a â—egree above other powers of the soul â— its naturall goodnesse That consciâ—ce hath such a naturall goodnesse in it â—e it in those cursed Scribes and Phariâ—es hypocrites who brought the woâ—an taken in adultery to Christ Their â—onscience was good John 8.9 they were convictâ—â— of their consciences their conscienâ—es dealt honestly with them and told â—hem the truth that they were wicked â—â—nners themselves This is the naturall â—oodnesse in conscience 2. A renewed good conscience I â—ll it a renewed good conscience beâ—ause when a man is renewed all the â—an is renewed all his mind and the â—pirit of it is renewed Ephes 4.23 That ye may be renewed in the spirit of you mind If the man be renewed all thâ— mind must be renewed and therefoâ—â— the conscience must be renewed too for the mind and the conscience ever gâ— together nay conscience is mainly seated in the mind and therefore if thâ— mind be renewed so is the conscience and if the mind be defiled so is the conscience Tit. 1.15 To them that are defiled is nothing pure but their minds aâ— consciences are defiled Mark When theâ— are defiled they are defiled together so when they are washed and renewed they are washed and renewed together Now this renewed conscience is eitheâ— perfect or defective 1. Perfect I meaâ— not perfect in every degree of goodnesse For so no mans conscience in thâ— world is perfect But I mean perfect iâ— every part and condition of goodnesse 2. A defective good renewed conscience is that which faileth in some conditions of goodnesse We call it a weâ— conscience which is apt to be polluteâ— and defiled again 1. Cor. 8.7 Their conscience being weak is defiled This is a defective good conscience a conscience â—ewed but imperfectly renewed I. To a good conscience A firm conscience that is â—ndly renewed five things are necesâ—â—â—y â— Knowledge of Gods will and â—t which doth follow the true knowâ—â—â—ge of his will namely true humiliaâ— and fear By nature the conscience â—lind and sturdy and venturous and â—â—â—refore it is necessary that it should be â—ghtened to understand the will of â—d and to presse it and again it is neâ—â—â—sary that the heart should be humâ—d or else it will not stoop to Gods â—l and it is necessary also that this â—y fear should fall upon the heart â—t it may not dare to transgresse Stâ—â—â—ter being to speak of a good consciâ—â—ce premiseth all these as necessarie â—â—â—reunto First he adviseth that Chriâ—â—â—â—ns have knowledge to be able to give â—â—ason of the hope that is in them and â—n that they should have meeknesse and 〈◊〉 for to do it 1. Pet. 3.15 16. with meeknesse and â— saith he having a good conscience â—â—rk Knowledge and meeknesse and fear are required to make a good conscience without them the consciencâ— cannot be good By nature we are alâ— blind and stubborn and fearlesse of sinning and therefore till we be cured oâ— these evils our consciences cannot be good 2. The second thing is a watchfulnesse and warfare against sinne Thiâ— is required too to a renewed good conscience By nature we are drowsie and carelesse and secure and do not stand upon our guard to wage warre against our lusts and the desires of our flesh and so long our consciences can never be good and therefore this spirituall watchfulnesse and mainteining warre against sinne is required to the having a good conscience That thou maist warre a good warrefare saith Paul to Timothie having faith and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1.18 19. Some who seemed to have a good conscience because they did not maintein this holy warfare against sinne and the flesh they have lost it Therefore this is another requisite required to a good conscience 3. The third is tendernesse of conscience By nature our hearts are seared â—nd dead and unclean and therefore we must get us tender and pure hearts â—f we would have good renewed consciences The end of the commandment is â—ove out of a pure heart and good conscience â—nd faith unfeigned 1. Tim. 1.5 See â—ow the Apostle compoundeth them â—ogether a pure heart and a good consciâ—nce We must get our hearts purged â—nd quickened that they may be sensible of the least evil and then our consciences will be good and be as a bridle to hold us from evil A hard heart and a good conscience can never stand together 4. The fourth is the cleannesse of conscience by the washing of Christs bloud This is the main and the principall of all Yea indeed the bloud of Christ is the sole and onely cause of a good conscience I would not be mistaken I named indeed other causes Knowledge and Humbling and a holy Fear a Combat against sinne and Tendernesse but I do not mean as though a good conscience were part beholding to them and partly to Chriâ—â— bloud For it is wholly and onely bâ—holding to Christs bloud for its gooâ—nesse his bloud is the onely price of â— But my meaning is this That thougâ— Christs bloud be the one onely cause â— redemption yet in the application of râ—demption the Lord useth all those foâ—â— named graces while he applieth it â— the conscience Therefore this now 〈◊〉 adde The washing of Christs blouâ— this is chiefly required to the goodnesâ—â— of conscience We have two places oâ— Scripture to prove it The one Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the bloud â— Christ purge your consciences from deaâ— works It is that onely can do it Thâ—
however and the high-way to hell but to be wicked when ye have godly neighbours about you your sinne now is double For as you offend God so you offend them too Ye may remember what Christ saith Whosoever offendeth one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a milstone were hung about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Matth. 18.6 Ah ye vile wretches ye little imagine what fearfull vengeance ye pull on your own heads It were better for you that a milstone were hung about your necks and ye thrown into the sea then that ye should offend one of these little ones Ye may call them what ye will call them puritanes precisians uncharitable people censurers ye may call them as Satan teacheth you to call them but it is certain it were better a milstone were hung about your neck and ye thrown into the sea then that ye should offend any one of Christs little ones The Lord open your eyes that ye may repent and believe the gospel your selves and be saved 4. Lastly be exhorted brethren to labour after a good conscience How excellent a thing is it that hath so many good ingredients Illumination is one ingredient and Faith is another and Tendernesse another and Purenesse another and Quietnesse another and the Bloud of Jesus Christ another It is like Aarons composition which smelt sweetly when he went into the sanctuarie It is compounded of excellent conditions such as smell sweeâ— when we come before God the Lord loveth that such should come neaâ— him We may come with assurance tâ— speed if we come with a good conscience Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with assurance oâ— faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Mark we may draw near with assurance if we come with tâ— good conscience It will comfort us in all troubles and support us in all dangers It maketh us happie nay there is no happinesse without it It will make us with quietnesse and contentednesse of spirit undergo whatever it shall please God to lay upon us How can they want comfort that have this It is a spring of comfort within them This will remain with us when all other comforts will forsake us When friends fail and estate faileth when credit and health and strength and all fail then a good conscience if we have it will speak peace to us yea and it will effect it in us comfort us and fasten comfort upon us Friends may speak words of comfort and peace to us but it may be we are not able to receive it the minister may preach peace but it may be we are not able to take it But a good conscience speaketh peace and effecteth it it doth not onely speak it but it putteth it into our hearts It proppeth us up in all miseries in sicknesses yea in death it self A good conscience then maketh us hold up our heads when all the world shall be confounded A good conscience will bear us out against the King of terrours It is onely a good conscience that can look death in the face 1. Cor. 15.55 57. and say O death where is thy sting thanks be to God who giveth us victorie through our Lord Jesus Christ Yea at the day of judgement when the whole world shall be burning before us when the great men of the world who go in silks and scarlet and broidred hair shall fear and shiver as a reed shaken with the wind this will make us with boldnesse undergo the terrour of it This will make us happie in all our distresses When crosses pelt us and sicknesse paineth us and death attacheth us we are happie men What if we have the tokens of Gods wrath upon our bodies so we have the marks of his love upon our souls What outward calamitie soever happeneth to us yet if we have this good conscience we are happie O then let us labour to get it by faith and a holy life If we would be safe in the floud-time in the day of Gods wrath we must be busie now about the ark we must provide beforehand for it Nothing but this ark will save us in the deluge of Gods anger It is in vain to trouble our selves about other things Jubal was a merrie man Gen. 4.20 he made pipes and organes Jabal built tents others planted vineyards but Noah provided his ark Many desire comfort in sicknesse in death but they do not provide for it beforehand They look after their sports or businesses in the world but this ark is neglected this good conscience without which all mens labour is vain Be they what they will be in never so much credit and esteem they are yet most miserable when troubles and afflictions come on them as one day they shall and shall not tarrie then all their comforts will forsake them When death looketh them in the face then their hearts die within them How full of pride and haughtinesse soever they were before yet when they come to die if their consciences be awaked they will with Saul fall down to heare the name of death 1. Sam. 28.20 and no spirits be left in them Nay if we want a good conscience when we lie on our death-beds desire good people to pray for us Good sir I beseech you let me have the benefit of your prayers to God for me Alas if thou hast not a good conscience all the prayers under heaven will not help thee See Heb. 13.18 Brethren pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience Mark The Apostle telleth them they may pray for him with comfort because he had a good conscience As if he had said If we had not a good conscience it were in vain for you to pray for us If ever God heare the prayers made for us we must have a good conscience Those that have not this good conscience shall never enter into the kingdome of heaven Though they had Moses Daniel and Job to pray for them yet all their prayers could not help them in the time of their distresse The bond of conscience NOw we must look back unto the foure propositions which at the beginning I observed in the text I am upon 1. That there is in every man a conscience 2. That the light which directeth conscience is knowledge 3. That the bond which bindeth conscience is Gods law 4. That the office of conscience is to bear witnesse to accuse or excuse I have in the handling of these a little altered the method and spake of the two first and the last Now followeth the third and that is consciences bond which is Gods law which shew the work of the law written in their hearts c. It is onely the work of Gods law that it beareth witnesse of that it accuseth or excuseth for The bond of conscience is Gods law The law of God is consciences bond Neverthelesse we must here distinguish The bonds
The Souls Looking-glasse lively representing its Estate before God with A Treatise Of Conscience wherein the definitions and distinctions thereof are unfolded and severall Cases resolved By that reverend and faithfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B. D. sometimes Fellow of Pembroke-hall in Cambridge and late Parson of Rochford in Essex ACTS 24.16 I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie for John Rothwell at the Sunne in Pauls church-yard 1640. To the RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT Earle of Warwicke THe late wife of the deceased in thankfull acknowledgment of your Lordships many favours to her deare husband humbly presents this small treatise To the Christian Reader IT was the saying of Solon That there were many good laws made but there wanted one law to make us put all those laws in execution The like may be said concerning the books that are written now a dayes Ille verè Scripturas legit qui verba vertit in opera There are many good books written but there wanteth one book to make us to put those good books in practice Such a book were worth writing and worth reading And I know no reason but that this book if the Spirit of God write it in our hearts may have this happie effect For it is a book that will teach us how to get into the State of grace and how to get and keep a good Conscience And whosoever readeth a book with a good conscience will make conscience to practice what he readeth For a good conscience is as Aristotle saith of Justice * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synopsis and Epitome of all virtues It is a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à sanandis omnibus morbis Panacea to cure all soul-diseases It is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a medicine to digest all book-surfetting There are foure sorts of Consciences Some bad and unquiet some bad and quiet some good and unquiet some good and quiet For a conscience to be bad and quiet is the worst temper that can be Better have a bad unquiet then a bad and quiet conscience better have a tormenting Tophet in the soul then a fools paradise The best frame of Conscience is the good and quiet conscience This is a * Laetitia bonae conscientiae paradisus est animarum gaudium angelorum hortus deliciarum ager benedictionis templum Solomonis aula Dei habitaeculum Spiritûs sancti Bernard Paradise upon earth * a pregustation and prelibation of heaven * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mansion for the Trinitie to dwell in Now this ensuing treatise will teach us how to purchase this precious jewel of a good and quiet conscience A treatise very necessary in these unconscionable dayes wherein most people make no conscience to sinne against conscience and some have sinned so long against conscience as that they have lost all conscience of sinne As * Multi Christianum nomen ad judicium habent non ad remedium S. Augustine saith of the name of a Christian so may I say of conscience Multi conscientiam habent non ad remedium sed ad judicium Many have a conscience for their condemnation and not for their salvation Conscience * Domus animae Guil. Parisiens it is the house of the soul But this house lieth waste and is much ruinated and decayed in these times wherein * Dum tempora superiora cum nostris comparo dicere consuevi plus illos conscientiae minus habuisse nos contrà scientiae plus conscientiae minus habere Beza never more science but never lesse conscience Conscience * Praejudicium judicii Tertull it is a private judgement-day before the publick day of judgement And it is an ill presage that most people will never stand upright in the court of heaven because they stand accused and condemned in the court of conscience Conscience is Gods preacher in our bosomes And it is a most certain rule That that man that will not regard the preacher in his bosome will never regard the preacher in the pulpit And the reason why the preacher in the pulpit doth no more good is because the preacher in the bosome is so much despised and neglected And therefore I doubt not but this book these motives considered will be very acceptable to all those that have or desire to have a good and quiet conscience For as * Vnicuique liber est propria conscientia ad hunc librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii invenli sunt S. Bernard most excellently saith Every mans conscience is his book and all books are written to discover and amend the errours of the book of conscience Let those that reade this book of conscience look into the book of their own conscience and amend all the faults of that book by this book The Reverend Authour of this book was a Minister very conscientious and one that had a great abilitie given him by God to preach unto and work upon the consciences of people to awaken the sleepie conscience to inform the erroneous conscience to settle the doubtfull conscience and to comfort the wounded conscience his sermons were all dipt in conscience And therefore a subject of Conscience must needs be welcome from such a preacher It is true that this birth is Posthumum opus and cometh out after the death of the Authour But I hope it will be the more pleasing to revive the memory of him whose life and labours were deservedly pretious in the esteem of Gods people And if conscience though for a while blind and dumbe and seared and put out of all office will notwithstanding at last be put into office and made to see speak and feel to the utter destruction of an impenitent sinner why may not a discourse of Conscience though long ago preached be suffered to revive and live for the salvation of those that shall have grace to reade it aright especially considering that these sermons were perfected by himself in his life-time Much I could say in commendation of this worthie Divine both in regard of his unwearisome pains in preaching consuming his own bodie to save the souls of others Praelucendo pereo as also of his learning and exemplarie pietie but I forbear All that I will say is this They that fully knew him did love and reverence him and if any did disesteem him it was because they did not fully know him He is now a shining starre in the firmament of heaven And there are hundreds of people that will blesse God to all eternity for his pains He needeth not our praises but our imitation All that I desire from you that reade this short treatise is this That ye would either get a good conscience by the reading of this book or bring a good conscience to the reading of it Labour to make an addition to the heavenly joyes
may know what estates ye are in by your inclinations and dispositions from whence these actions proceed Psal 119.112 Are your hearts inclined heaven-ward and God-ward as Davids are ye bent to holinesse and self-deniall c. as a bow is bent to shoot the arrow This is a signe of a good estate as 1. Chron. 22.19 there is speech of setting the heart to seek God Ye know when a man will do a thing indeed we say he is set on 't It may be ye do some good duties make some fair offers of seeking God but are your hearts set on 't or are they set on the world and inclined earth-ward The inclinations of every creature in the world do ever shew what the creature is How do we know that a stone is heavy Because it inclineth downward How do we know a man is cholerick Because he â—s inclined unto wrath So a mans estate may be known by his constant inclination either to good or evil 3. One may know what estate he is in by that reflexive act which is proper onely to man There is an act in mans soul we call it a reflex act which no creature hath but onely man whereby he can perceive what himself is and doeth When a man thinketh or speaketh he can reflect upon himself and perceive what he thinketh or speaketh when he prayeth he can reflect upon his own heart and perceive how it carrieth it self all along in his prayers I say no creature in the world hath in it â—his reflexive act but onely man The â—ire burneth but it cannot reflect upon its own burning Oculus non videt se â—videre The eye seeth but it doth not see that it doth see that is That creaâ—ure doth not perceive what it doeth when it seeth But every man hath this reflexive act in him whereby he is privie to what himself thinketh doeth is None knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him 1. Cor. 2.11 This is the reason why some know not what estate they are in because they choke their own spirit and hoodwink their consciences Thine own heart knoweth how it is with thee and would faithfully tell thee if thou wouldst enquire of it and hearken unto it Search with Gods candle and thou mayst easily find what is in thee Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly 4. Ye may know what estate ye are in by a certain kind of feeling As there is a kind of bodily feeling whereby every man knoweth the estate of his body whether he be sick or in health so there is a spirituall feeling Luke 24.32 The two disciples did feel their hearts burn Paul did feel a great combat in him between the flesh and the spirit Eph. 4.19 So if men be covetous and worldly they may feel it Yet indeed some men be past feeling Their case is the worse because they cannot feel how bad it is But for the most they may easily feel what their estate is The third use is Vse 3. Impediments to shew you the impediments that hinder this knowledge If you would attein to know what estate you are in then remove the impediments which are 1. Vain thoughts Men who are in a state of sin and wrath yet have many vain thoughts lodging within them keeping them from knowing it God is mercifull and Christ died for sinners and There be worse sinners then they why should they think so ill of themselves and they may be better all in good time These vain thoughts hoodwink their eyes that they cannot see their estate nor resolve that it is so dangerous as indeed it is O Jerusalem Jer. 4.14 wash thy heart from wickednesse how long shall these vain thoughts lodge within thee They were in a very bad estate and yet they had such vain thoughts that they could not see it 2. Presumption is another impediment Men pray and heare and do other good duties and so take all to be well without serious examining This was the case of the Laodicean people They thought they had that in them which they had not Rev. 3.17 and that their estate was good when it was nothing so Another let are the Cares of this life Whereby the heart is so occupied that it doth not find time to search its own estate Therefore our Saviour saith Luke 21.34 Take heed that your hearts be not overcharged with the cares of this life lest that day come upon you unawares intimating that these cares are great lets from considering our estates 4. Another let is an Evil conscience which affrighteth a man so soon as he beginneth to stirre and maketh him afraid to go on to look soundly into his estate John 3.20 Rom. 3.11 He that doeth evil hateth the light 5. Another let is Ignorance There is none that understandeth none that seeketh after God Mark they did not seek in what case they stood before God because they did not understand 6. Another let is Spirituall sloth and sluggishnesse of heart Men cannot enâ—ure to take pains with their own hearts till they have made out a true iudgement in what case they are They â—egin and quickly give over and so for â—â—â—vant of diligence and pains-taking â—ake nothing sure The last use is for exhortation Vse 4. Of Exhortation That all men would bestirre themselves and set in earnest upon this enquirie That we may every one know in what state we stand 1. Consider this is an enquiry about our souls We enquire about our outward man about the estate of our bodyes and worldly affairs c. oh let us not neglect this main enquiry Am I in Christ yea or no Am I a new creature yea or no Doth my soul live to God or â—â—o 2. Consider this is a question about our everlasting estate We can never have comfort untill we have put this out of question and therefore this is a question which all questions must give way unto If ye be not in Christ ye had need lay aside all and look about it onely How can men eat drink sleep c. sith the wrath of God abidetâ— upon all unbelievers Me thinks ouâ— souls should take no content do no thing else but faint after Christ until we know our interest in him I say again This is the grand enquiry that businesse which all businesses must give place unto Oh the sloth of our souls Let us in time awake and rouse them up and never rest untill we know our own estate to be good before God that so our hearts may have comfort and that with God A treatise Of Conscience ROM 2.15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing them witnesse and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another I Have shewed you What Conscience is That every man is in an
estate before God And that hath made way now to a treatise of conâ—cience which will shew us what estate â—e are in before God I desire to handle common-place-wise And first I will â—â—l you in brief what the conscience of â—ery man is I say of every man For â—ngels and devils have a conscience â—o ye may see it in the speech of the â—ngel to John when John would have â—orshipped him Rev. 19.10 I am thy fellow-serâ—ant saith he see thou do it not Mark He had a conscience that could say I am a servant and therefore must not taâ—â— worship to me So for the devils Wheâ— our Saviour bade them come forth oâ— the possessed Matth. 8.29 they say Art thou comâ— to torment us before our time See theâ— had a conscience that told them therâ— would be a time when they should bâ— further tormented But I am not tâ— speak of such consciences but of thâ— conscience of man Now the conscience of man is the judgement of maâ— upon himself as he is subject to God judgement Divines use to expresse iâ— in this Syllogisme He that truly believeth in Christ shall be saved My conscience telleth me this is Gods word But I believe truly in Christ My conscience telleth me this also Therefore I shall be saved And so also on the contrary side So that conscience is a mans true judgement of himself 1. Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves that is If we would bring our selves before the tribunal of conscience to receive its judgement Foure propositions are conteined in that portion of Scripture which I have chosen to make the subject of this ensuâ—ng treatise Rom. 2.15 1. Foure Propositions That there is in every man a conscience Their consciences bearing them â—itnesse Every one of them had a â—onscience bearing them witnesse 2. That the light which conscience directed to work by is knowledge written in their hearts 3. That the bond that bindeth a mans conscience is Gods law which â—hew the effect of the law written in their â—â—arts 4. That the office and duty of conâ—â—â—ence is to bear witnesse either with our selves or against our selves accusing or excusing our selves or actions bearing witnesse and their thoughts acâ—using or excusing one another I begin â—ith the first Proposition I. There is in every man a conscience THere was a conscience in all these heathen in the text 1. There is in every man a conscience their consciences â—ring them witnesse There was a conscience in the Scribes and Pharisees John 8.9 being convicted of their own consciences There is a conscience in good men as in Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience There is a conscience in wicked men Tit. 1.15 their mind and conscience is defiled As it is impossible the fire should be without heat so it is impossible that any man should be without â— conscience Indeed we use to say Such an one hath no conscience buâ— our meaning is that he hath no good conscience But every one hath a conscience either good or bad The Lord engraved conscience in man when he created him at first True it is since the fall of man conscience is miserably corrupted but man can never put it off Conscience continueth for ever in every man whether he be in earth or heaven or hell The most base and devilish profanelings in the world have a conscience Let them choke it or smother it as much as they can let them whore it or game it or drink it away as much as they are able for their hearts yet conscience will continue in spite of their teeth 1. No length of time can wear this conscience out What made Josephs brethren to remember the cruel usage they shewed him but conscience It was about twenty years before yet â—hey could not wear it out 2. No violence nor force is able to â—uppresse conscience but that one day â—â—r other it will shew it self What made Judas go and carry back the money that he betrayed our Saviour for â—nd also to cry out I have sinned but conscience No question but he laâ—oured to suppresse it but he could â—ot 3. No greatnesse nor power is able do stifle conscience but that it will one â—ay like a band-dog flie in a sinners face What made Pharaoh crie out I am â—icked but conscience He was a great King and yet he was not able to overâ—ower conscience 4. No musick mirth or jovializing â—an charm conscience but it will play â—he devil to a wretched soul for all â—hat What was the evil spirit of meâ—ancholy that came upon Saul but conscience He thought to allay it with instruments of musick but it still came again 5. Death it self is not able to part conscience from a sinner What is that worm that shall never die but onely conscience and in hell conscience is as that fire that never goeth out I confesse some seem to have lost conscience quite They can omit good duties as though they had no conscience at all they can deferre repentance and turning to God as though they had no more conscience then a beast but one day conscience will appear and shew plainly that it was present with them every moment of their lives and privie to all their thoughts and all their wayes and set before them all the things that they have done Be men never so secure and senselesse and seared for the present conscience will break out either first or last Either here or in hell it will appear to every man That he hath and ever had a conscience Reasons Now the reasons why the Lord did plant a conscience in every man living are 1. Because the Lord is a very righâ—ous Judge And as he commandeth â—rthly judges not to judge without â—itnesse so he himself will not judge â—ithout witnes and therefore he planteth a conscience in every one to bring in evidence for him or against him at Gods tribunall 2. Because the Lord is very merciâ—â—ll We are wonderous forgetfull and â—ndlesse of God and of our own souls and have need to be quickned up to our duties therefore the Lord hath â—iven every one of us a conscience to â—â—e a continuall monitour Sometime â—e forget to pray and then conscience â—â—tteth us in mind to go to God someâ—â—me we are dull in the duty and conâ—â—â—ence is as a prick to quicken us someâ—ne our passions are distempered and â—en conscience checketh commandâ—â—h us to bridle them We should neâ—r be kept in any order if it were not â—r conscience Therefore hath the â—ord in mercy given us a conscience Vse 1 The first use is to condemn that diabolical proverb common among men Conscience is hanged a great while ago No no Achitophel may hang himself buâ— he cannot hang his conscience Saâ— may kill himself but conscience cannoâ— be killed Mar 9.44 It is a worm that never dieth As the reasonable soul of man
light but onely the light of nature some have besides the light of â—s word which sheweth that which â—re sheweth and much more clearly â—eacheth many things more which â—e cannot teach And hence the â—cience of the illightned condemâ—â— for such things as the naturall conâ—â—ce never stirreth about â—econdly the knowledge of our â—â—lves is needfull else conscience canâ—â—t neither Though we know what â—s law requireth and what not â—t is good and what not yet unâ— we know whether we go with it 〈◊〉 against it conscience cannot accuse nor excuse As for example A close hypocrite he knoweth wel enough that the Lord hath condemned hypocrisie and that hypocrites must have their â—â—tion in hell yet if he do not know â—â—self to be an hypocrite his consciâ—â—â—e can never condemn him for being â—e And therefore both these knowâ—â—â—ges are necessary as well the knowâ—â—â—ge of a mans self as of Gods law â—any who had a hand in crucifying our â—â—viour sinned grievously yet they sinned not against knowledge becaâ— they knew not what they did Luke 23.34 Fathâ— forgive them they know not what they 〈◊〉 Thirdly It is a contradiction to 〈◊〉 a blind conscience in act The consâ—â—ence cannot be blind and yet actualâ— condemn Indeed the conscience it sâ— may be blind but it can never act and 〈◊〉 blind If it truly accuse or excuse must have some light It is true it maâ— erroneously excuse or accuse and yâ— have no true light Seeming light 〈◊〉 enough to do that seeming knowledgâ— is enough to make conscience erroneously excuse As they who killed thâ— Apostles John 16.2 their consciences excuseâ— them and told them they did Goâ— good service they seemed to know iâ— was good service to God and thereforâ— their consciences excused them c Thus ye see that the light that conscience workerh by is knowledge Vse 1 The use of this point is first to leâ— us see the infinite necessity of knowledge As good have no conscience aâ— all as conscience without knowledge for it cannot act and perform its office â—is is the reason why so many thouâ—ds go on in their sinnes without reâ—tance because being ignorant they â—e no conscience to prick them thereâ—o as Jer. 8.6 No man repenteth him â—his wickednesse saying What have I â—e Why what was the reason that â—nscience did not prick them and say â—is thou hast done and that Thus ye â—e rebelled c The text answereth 〈◊〉 the next verse My people know not 〈◊〉 judgement of the Lord. The stork â—weth her time and the turtle and the â—llow but my people do not know their â—ies Vse 2 Another use is to exhort us that we would labour to perfect the light of â—onscience that it may be able to guide 〈◊〉 and direct us unto heaven Our conâ—â—ience hath knowledge enough by the â—ght of nature to make us inexcusable â—nd to clear the justice of God though â—e should damne us for ever but there â—ust be a greater light then that that â—ust guide us to heaven O let us â—ray to Christ the true light to set up â—his light in us that we may never be at a losse in our way to happinesse nâ—ver step out of the right path but oâ— conscience may be able to put us in â—gain never go slowly but our consâ—â—ence may spurre us on faster that oâ— conscience may not be like the sâ—â— of a candle in a socket that flameth 〈◊〉 now and then and then is dark agaâ— and again it flameth out and is dark â—gain A man may see his book by iâ— but he cannot see to reade he may seâ— his pen and ink by it but he cannot seâ— to write a woman may see her needâ— and cloth by it but she cannot see tâ— work so it is with some mens consciences Their light is so dimme thaâ— they can see the duties but they cannoâ— see to do them they can see the commandments of God but they cannoâ— see to obey them O labour to perfecâ— the light of your consciences that yeâ— may see to walk by them And thuâ— much also of the second proposition The light that conscience acteth by is knowledge Now I should come to the third proposition which as I first propounded â—hem was this The bond that bindeth conscience is Gods law But I will now a little â—ter the method and make the other â—hich was propounded last to be the â—ird in the handling and it is this Proposition III. â—he office of Conscience is to bear witnesse to accuse or excuse COnscience is put into this office by God himself It is Gods officer III. Proposition The office of Conscience is to bear witnesse â—ot onely his register-book that shall 〈◊〉 opened at the day of judgement â—herein is set down our thoughts words and deeds but it is a preacher also to tell us our duty both towards â—od and towards man yea it is a â—â—werfull preacher it exhorteth urâ—th provoketh yea the most powerâ—ll preacher that can be it will cause â—e stoutest and stubbornest heart unâ—r heaven to quake now and then it â—ill never let us alone till it have â—ought us either to God or to the deâ— Conscience is joyned in comâ—ission with Gods owne spirit to be an instructour unto us in the way we should walk so that the spirit and it are resisted or obeyed together grieved or delighted together We cannot sinne against conscience but we sinne also against Gods spirit we cannot check our own consciences but we check and quench the holy spirit of God The office of conscience to our selves is Rom. 9.1 to bear witnesse My conscience beareth me witnesse saith Paul Conscience is alwayes ready to do this office if it shall at any time be invited unto it For conscience looketh sometimes for inviting sometimes it will not bear witnesse unlesse we invite it and call upon it so to do But there will come a time when it will do it and must do it and shall do it namely at death or at judgement then it will bear witnesse whether men invite it or no. Now it may be suppressed and silenced and kept under from witnessing but then it must bear witnesse and shall either excusing or accusing acquitting or condemning when God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts as the Apostle speaketh The properties that are given unto conscience in the discharge of its office are foure Foure Properties of Conscience 1. It is supreme 2. It is impartiall 3. It is faithfull 4. It is privie 1. It is supreme It hath highest authoritie it is the most uncontrollable and ablest witnesse that can be the greatest weightiest witnesse in the world better then ten thousand witnesses Though all the world do condemn us yet if our own conscience do not we need not fear And so on the contrary if conscience do condemn us it will be small comfort though all the world flatter and commend and excuse us It is a supreme witnesse Though
all the Angels in heaven should come and bear witnesse their witnesse is not so uncontrollable as conscience is There is no appealing from the witnesse of conscience we must be tried by it If conscience do accuse and condemn us the Lord onely is greater then our conscience 1. John 3.20 and will give judgement with it when it doth its office And if our conscience do not and commend us and applaud us when we are naught and call us good men and good women when we are nothing so but this will tell us plainly how vile and sinfull we are and if we say we are good when we are not it will tell us plainly we lie 1. John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar Mark though he say it yet his conscience giveth him the lie It is faithfull again in excusing It beareth witnesse of every good dutie we perform and of whatsoever good is in us Though all Jobs friends spake evil of him and God himself by his outward judgements seemed to condemn him for a wicked man yet still his conscience like a faithfull witnesse did not forsake him nay it offered to reason with God himself Job 13.3 I would reason with God I know I shall be justified and I will never forsake mine innocency till I die Still his conscience stood for him and excused him Thus on both sides conscience is a faithfull and sincere witnesse it will not be corrupted to speak otherwise then it knoweth the matter is 4. It is most privy to what it doth witnesse It is more privy to what we have done then all the world It can say more for us or against us then all the world Thou knowest all the wickednesse that thy heart is privy unto saith Solomon to Shimei 1. Kings 2.44 The use of all this is Vse Seeing conscience is so supreme so impartiall so faithfull so privy we should take heed â—ow we do any thing that might give â—t advantage against us If we were to â—ppear before an earthly judge to anâ—wer for our behaviour and should have a companion present continually with us marking every thing in us telâ—ing us of every fault and witnessing it â—gainst us unto the judge how carefull would we be of doing any thing that might give him advantage against us Lo we have conscience as a continuall watch-man espying out all our wayes â—etting down what-ever we do amisse â—hecking us for it for the present and one day accusing us before God and â—etting all things in order before our faces Oh how should we then labour it two years after Gen. 41.9 I remember my faults this day saith his conscience Adonibezek had forgot his cruelty but his conscience brought it to his mind As I have done so God hath requited me Judg. 1.7 saith his conscience 2. Conscience beareth witnesse of what we intend and purpose to do whether against God or man It will testifie every purpose and project of the heart though it be never acted though it die in the heart and never come to light Men little think of this Tush saith one I never did such a thing though I once intended it or had some thoughts about it Mark those very thoughts will conscience bring forth and testifie what they were Heare the Apostle Rom. 2.16 in that day God shall judge the secrets of men c. The most hidden things conscience shall bring to light and Christ shall judge them 3. Conscience beareth witnesse of the bent and frame of our hearts what we affect most and love most and rejoyce and delight in most and desire most and grieve for most what our affections runne upon most whether upon God or the world whether upon heaven or the things of this life Conscience bare witnesse to David Psal 119.77 that his delight was in the law of the Lord that God was his portion that Gods statutes were his counsellers Conscience bare witnesse to the false teachers in Christs time that they affected vain-glory and the prayse of men more then the prayse of God Conscience bare witnesse to Demas that notwithstanding his fair profession his heart was set upon the world Conscience bare witnesse to Jehu that for all his seeming zeal his heart was not upright But it may be objected Obj. 1. Jer. 17.9 How can this be The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it Who can know it That is Answ Who else can know it but a man himself None under God can know the heart of man but a mans own conscience the spirit of man that is in him I confesse a man may be ignorant of some secret and particular deceit in his heart but who knoweth not the generall standing of God small and so we are deceived noâ— seeing the radicall power of this love of God which in regard of its vertue is stronger then the other As a fool if he should feel hot water would conclude that there is no cold at all in it whereas there is radicall cold in that water such as will expell all that heat in a little space Or else this ariseth from anguish of spirit which so disturbeth the mind that it cannot see its own condition nor be capable of the comforts belonging unto it as it was with the Israelites Exod. 6.9 otherwise doubtlesse we may know our own hearts and when our conscience beareth witnesse its witnesse is right Vse 1 I. Use of reproof to those who stand out against the witnesse of their conscience and like hard-hearted felons plead still Not guiltie though never so much evidence come against them though conscience oft tell them this they have done thus they do such they are Oh stop not your eares against conscience stand not out against it but believe its testimony and make use of it to repent of the evil it accuâ—â—â—h of while mercy may be had before â—od himself cometh and joyneth with conscience to condemne for ever Vse 2 II. It serveth for singular encouragement to all to abound in good works Conscience will bear witnesse of them all to our unspeakable comfort in the time of afflictions yea at death and judgement Job felt it a sweet thing to have conscience give in testimony of his integrity and uprightnesse When his friends proved miserable comforters and God himself seemed to write bitter â—hings against him yet his conscience witnessed that he had been eyes to the â—lind and feet to the lame he had fed â—he hungry and clothed the naked and comforted the fatherlesse There is not â— good thing that ever we do but conscience will afford us the sweetnesse and comfort of it in our troubles Isai 38.3 Rememâ—er O Lord saith Hezekiah that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart We have spoken of consciences single bearing witnesse Now followeth its now onely of those who drown their consciences in their cups and fear
their consciences by their grosse sinnes but of those who would seem godly and perform good duties but with hypocriticall hearts and carnall minds O that they would heare but conscience argue a little in this manner To be carnally minded is death that is is an evident signe of a man that is in the state of death and damnation But saith conscience I am carnally minded or we are carnally minded Therefore we have an argument about us of death and damnation And so also for all other sinnes There is not a wicked man under heaven but he may argue out of his own miserable estate by his conscience or he might if it were awaked as one day it will be Vse 3 Thirdly this may serve for instruction No matter what opinions meâ— have of us in the world The questioâ— is What is the judgement of our owâ— consciences upon us It may be thou art taken for a man of great knowledge and a forward man in godlinesse it may bâ— the godly dare not judge otherwise oâ— thee but the question is What is tâ—â— judgement of conscience Doth nor thy conscience tell thee thou art but a proud fool conceited of thy knowledge and â—ovest to heare thy self talk And so for thy performance of good duties what testimony doth conscience give of the manner of doing of them The testimoniall of conscience is above all testimonials in the world 2. Cor. 1.12 all the good opinions of the world are not worth a â—ush without this If conscience can â—ay that in our wayes we seek to please God and allow not our selves in any â—vil way this testimony is full and saâ—isfactory and onely this Yet further concerning this judiciall witnesse of conscience It is either about â—hings to be done or omitted or things â—lready done or omitted The judiciall witnesse of conscience about things to â—e done or omitted is double 1. To â—dge out of Gods law whether it be â—ood or evil 2 To counsel out of â—ur own judgements either to do it or â—orbear it according as the nature of the â—ction is If it be good conscience will so on the contrary if it be evil conscience will counsel us to forbear yea bring arguments to disswade O do it not it will tend to the dishonour of God and be offensive to others and wound our souls c. It was conscience that withheld David from killing Saul and prest him from it by a strong argument 1. Sam. 24 10. O he is the Lords anointed It was conscience that withheld Joseph from yielding to the enticings of his mistres and yielded him an argument to disswade him from it How shall I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God It was conscience that disswaded Nehemiah from flying Neh. 6.11 Should such a man as I flie And if one argument will not serve conscience will use more Vse 1 The use of this may be first for Instruction Hence we learn that naturall men may have a conscience urging to good and restraining from evil There is no man so evil or ignorant but he hath naturally some light with him by which conscience is set on work to advise and to counsel and to say This is very good do it This is very sinfull forbear it This therefore is no signe of grace in any man to have his conscience calling upon him to do good or â—isswading him from evil The very heathen had so according to their light yea and in many of them it was forcible to restrain them from many sinnes which they were inclined unto And so may many men be put upon many good duties not for any love or liking of that which is good but because they would please and satisfie conscience which otherwise will not suffer them to be quiet It was conscience that kept Abimelech from defiling Sarah and yet a carnall man Here then a question may be asked Obj. Whether a mere naturall man can avoid sinne for conscience sake I answer Answ That this expression for conscience sake may be taken two wayes either 1. for conscience of the commandment of God and love to it and so none but Gods children do obey for conscience sake and so it is meant when Paul speaketh of being subject for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 1. Pet. 2.19 and Peter speaketh of suffering science may not reproch him all his dayes for not following it Whereas it is otherwise with the wicked Vse 3 3. The third use is this Seeing conscience is appointed by God to be our guide and our counsellour it should be our practice in every thing we do to ask counsel of conscience whether we were best do it or no. I say that conscience is Gods oracle Whatsoever we are to do we should as David enquire of Gods oracle 1. Sam. 23.2 May I go this way to work or shall I take an other course Heare counsel and receive instruction Prov. 19.20 saith Salomon that thou mayst be wise at thy latter end Conscience is a faithfull counsellour heare it It is the great mercie of God that thou hast such a privie counsel Thou canst go nowhere but it is about thee to advise thee Therefore as Rehoboam said to his green heads What counsel give you so say thou to thy conscience What advise givest thou Conscience in this case my carnall friends counsel me thus and thus mine own carnall heart and lusts would have me go this way but Conscience what counsell givest thou Vse 4 4. The fourth use is to reprove â—he custome of most men who with Ahab refuse the counsel of that one â—rue wholesome prophet have foure â—undred other counsellours who will â—ive counsel as they would have it They regard not this good Michaiah â—hey slight the counsel of conscience â—heir lusts and their carnall reason and â—â—esh and bloud are their counsellours The counsel of conscience they say is not â—ood at this time as he said of Achitoâ—hels They will heare conscience at â—nother time but not now But take â—eed for if you reject the counsel of â—onscience it is because the Lord hath â— purpose to destroy you The Adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of this dutie of judging and counselling THe adjuncts are of two sorts The adjuncts of conscience 1. such as respect consciences abilitie to â—ischarge its duty 2. such as accompanie conscience in the discharge thereof darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth John 12.35 O labour therefore to get a conscience illightened It is true a man may have an illightened conscience and yet go to hell but this is most certain without an illightened conscience a man cannot go to heaven And if thy conscience be something illightened yet labour for more light It will prevent many a stumble save thee from many a knock Thou knowest not what case thou mayest be in what difficult straits thou mayest be put unto if thou hast not light in thy conscience to direct
he hath given us consciences to guide us so also he would give our guides eyes that they may be able to direct us aright The truth is it is God onely that can soundly illighten our consciences and therefore let us pray unto him to do it All our studying and reading and hearing and conferring will never be able to do it it is onely in the power of him who made us to do it Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments He who made our consciences he onely can give them this heavenly light of â—rue knowledge and right understanding and therefore let us seek earnestly to him for it 2. We must seek it in humility alwayes suspecting our own knowledge We are not too confidently and presumptuously to trust to our â—wn judgement and despise or neglect â—he judgement of others Psal 25.9 The humble â—od will teach Pride and self-conceitedâ—esse blindeth exceedingly 3. We must â—eek with sobriety alwayes contenting â—ur selves with that knowledge which â—s most necessarie and not be curious aâ—out vain and idle-braind questions or solicitous to answer every objection ty offendeth conscience and conscience will keep a grudge a long time and will give many a secret wound deading the heart to duty making faith and confidence in God dull we cannot pray with courage nor come before God with boldnesse If our hearts condemn us not we have confidence saith John 1. John 3.21 An erroneous conscience will defile you a doubting conscience distract you a scrupulous conscience unsettle you but above all other an illightened conscience if it have any thing against you will exceedingly disable you this stabbeth at the heart your confidence towards God Go then and labour to purge conscience else conscience will hinder you whether you pray or heare or receive the Sacrament c. it will deprive you of comfort Matth 5.23 If thou bring thâ— gift to the altar and there remembrest thaâ— thy brother hath ought against thee leavâ— there thy gift before the altar first go anâ— be reconciled to thy brother and then comâ— and offer thy gift The case is greater anâ— more dangerous when conscience hatâ— something against us there is no offering will be accepted untill conscience be satisfied If thou shouldest be about to pray and conscience should stand up against thee as an adversary and tell thee thou hast been vain and loose and carnall all this day thou hast not set thy self to keep close to God this day thou hast fallen into this and that sinne this day thou art not fit to pray till thou hast reconciled thy self to conscience Alas thy conscience will secretly undermine all thy praying First â—herefore reconcile conscience by humâ—ling thy self and breaking thy heart and resolving I have sinned I will do no more When conscience can say thy sorrow and repentance and resolution for new obedience is sincere then thou â—â—rt fit to pray but not before So whatâ—ver other duty thou goest about be â—ure to reconcile conscience else all will miscarry V. A faithfull conscience THus I have expounded the adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of its duty every motion and inclination to evil it is awake to see when evil is conceived to tell us of it to oppose it and to disswade us from it like a watchman on the top of a tower alwayes awake to see when any danger approcheth It is Gods minister with eyes on every side to espie seasons of good and stirre up to make use of them and of evil and give warning to avoid them 2. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull so also it is rigid and severe 2. It is severe In every cause it delivereth its judgement nothing can escape its sentence it will not favour our lusts in any particular If there be any opportunity of duty to God or man it maketh us to heare of it though it be such a duty as none other will call upon us for or it may be dare not put us in mind of as of love and care and help towards inferiours yet conscience will It titheth mint and cumine and will tell us of the least duty And so on the other side it will not swallow the least sinne As it will not swallow a camel Luke 16.10 so it will strain at â—gnat A faithfull conscience is faithfull in the least If David sinne but in the lap of a garment conscience smiteth him for it It made Abraham so precise to a thread or a shoe-latchet he would not take so much as that of the king of Sodom It made Moses strict to a very hoof It made Paul find fault with the Corinthians about their hair It made Augustine condemn himself for an apple 3. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull and severe so also it is importunate 3. It is importunate 〈◊〉 all its counsels It doth not onely deliver its judgement but doth with importunitie urge the following of its counsel It will have no nay but will be obeyed It leadeth us bound in the Spirit to do it as Paul said Acts 20.22 I go bound 〈◊〉 the spirit See how importunate this â—â—ithfull conscience was with the Psalâ—ist I will not give sleep to mine eyes Psal 132.4 nor â—â—mber to mine eye-lids untill I find out a â—â—ace for the Lord. It will not take any â—â—y say we what we will say we be â—â—epie say we be busie say we be loth â—â—d full of excuses it will be importuâ—â—te and that with vehemencie It will omitting good or committing evil will not let thee slumber and sleep in securitie but continually joggeth and awaketh thee Hath he given thee a severe a precise conscience that will not favour thee in the least evil It is a most comfortable signe that the Lord meaneth well unto thy soul Vse 3 III. Labour to be a friend unto conscience that it may continue faithfull unto thee True friends will deal faithfully and plainly one with another and will be importunate to do one anotheâ— good Conscience will not deal thus with thee unlesse thou be a friend unto conscience Now then are we friends unto conscience when we do what conscience requireth As our Saviour said to the Disciples John 15.14 Ye are my friends if yâ—â— do whatever I command you So I may say of conscience For conscience if iâ— be truly illightened will command nothing but what Christ commandeth Iâ— we deal so in our constant course with conscience be willing to hearken to it and be ruled by it then if we be out oâ— the way now and then conscience will be true to us and be importunate with us for our good Vse 4 IV. Be sure thou stand not out aâ—ainst conscience when once it is imâ—ortunate It is a great sinne to stand â—ut against conscience though it be not â—mportunate but it is a sinne a thousand â—â—mes greater to
stand out against it when it is importunate Maxima violatio conscientiae est maximè peccatum The greatest standing out against conscience is the greatest sinne it is a sinne which cometh nearest that against the holy â—host which accompanied with some other adjuncts is the greatest standing out against conscience There is no sinne that doth more harden the heart then to do evil when conscience is importuâ—ate to disswade from it This sinne â—as the cause why Saul was rejected of â—od I forced my self saith he 1. Sam. 13.12 He forâ—â—d his conscience his conscience was â—â—portunate to have him stay accordâ—â—g to the commandment of God but 〈◊〉 forced himself to the contrary I â—â—nfesse if conscience be importunate â—o the utmost as it is with Gods chilâ—â—en men cannot with any force put it zealous in Gods cause against the house of Ahab and the priests of Baal 2. Kings 10.29 but it suffered him to maintein the high places which Jeroboam had set up Thus Gamaliel's conscience made him speak well for Paul and yet continue it seemeth in much other evil This conscience will restrain from great staring sinnes or from such sinnes as the man hath no naturall propensity unto but others which seem of a lower nature or which are suitable to a mans particular desires these conscience will swallow without remorse As civil people that cannot swallow down couzenage and injustice and yet neglect of prayer and other religious duties never troubleth them And so some professours who cannot omit hearing sermons and talking of religion and yet can rest without the power thereof 3. It is remisse 3. It is remisse that is though it doth counsel and direct yet it doth it with such coldnesse remissenesse that it is easily answered and put off Thus it was with David It cannot be thought but his conscience said Plot not against Vriah's life But he would and so conscience let him do it This conscience will be answered with every slight and â—dle excuse As when conscience telâ—eth one Your wayes are not good I wish you to repent and make your peace with God it may be the man answereth Yea so I mean to do but I cannot yet intend it when I have dispatched such and such businesse then I will do it If conscience speak again Yea but you were best to do it now True saith he I know it I know it If God would give me repentance I would repent It is his gift of my self I cannot do it Or when it telleth him of family-duties it may be he answereth I have no leisure so long as I go to God by my self I hope it will serve turn Or when it telleth him of his wickednesse â—t may be he answereth Many worse then I have found mercy and I hope so shall I. This is the conscience that letteth a mans heart say I shall have peace Deut. 29.19 Now â—onscience being remisse and cold it is â—asily put off and answered with these idle and foolish excuses or with some other pretenses like these and so letteth the man go and live as before This conscience is like Eli which said Ye do not well my sonnes but exercised no severity to cause them to do otherwise Vse By this we see the dangerous estate of those men who have such a conscience There be many who live in many sinnes in carnall courses some in company-keeping and drunkennesse some in hatred and variance some in chambering and wantonnesse some in covetousnesse love of this present worldâ— your consciences no question can say Ye should do well to be more godly to look more after Christ and after heaven and ye should do well to get the truth of saving grace yet it may be they say nothing or nothing to the purpose in this behalf Therefore is these mens case so dangerous because their consciences are so silent and so remisse They have lost the most sovereigne remedy namely conscience Conscience is the most sovereigne means under God and his holy Spirit to work repentance in men that can be and is it not dangerous to have it prove traiterous and unfaithful What good can the ministerie of the word do unto you when every idle and false excuse or pretense which the wisdome of the flesh can devise can stop â—he mouth of your conscience when it â—alleth upon you to do what the word â—equireth It must needs be dangerous â—nd so much the more because it is so pleasing unto you ye take delight in such silent and large and remisse unfaithfull consciences ye love not to have your consciences too busie with â—ou ye like not that your consciences â—hould be too clamourous and importunate with you ye would have them not too rigid and vehement against your sinnes It fareth with you as with many young men who have sold themselves unto folly and think none their friends but parasites that flatter them or those who connive and wink at their folly but such friends will soon prove foes and so will such moderate and quiet consciences It is a dangerous â—hing to have such a silent conscience to want the chief means under God of doing a man good It was conscience that told the lepers 2. Kings 7.9 We do not well to hold our peace It was conscience that never would let the prodigall sonne be quiet till he returned to his father and said unto him I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne It is conscience that is the most powerfull means under God to quicken a man upâ—â— to repentance and obedience and therefore they are in a miserable case that want this great help Quest But what are the causes why mens consciences be so evil and unfaithfull Answ The causes hereof are chiefly these foure 1. Ignorance is one cause why a mans conscience is unfaithfull when we do not labour to have conscience throughly illightened and informed Who are more carelesse and negligent of their duties both to God and man who can with more freedome lye steal covet sinne c. then those that are ignorant of the law of God They know not that they do so much hurt to their own souls as they do An ignorant mind hath alwayes an evil conscience â—t is impossible conscience should be â—â—ithfull where it is not illightened and â—ence it cometh to passe that conscience iâ— so negligent and unfaithfull because â—e have been so carelesse of informing 〈◊〉 Thy conscience must needs be silent 〈◊〉 long as thou art ignorant 1. Pet. 2.15 Ignorance 〈◊〉 soon put to silence 2. A second cause is often slighting of conscience It may be conscience speaketh not or but coldly and remissely because when it hath advised and câ—unselled and admonished thou hast neglected it and disregarded it from time to time Though it judge and counsel yet thou wilt not listen Like Cassandra the prophetesse who though her predictions were
true and certain â—â—t were they never believed so though â—â—nscience speaketh true yet men folâ—â—w it not and therefore it becometh â—ent when it is not regarded but all 〈◊〉 counsel and advise and perswasions â—â—ghted and neglected Hence I say it â—â—meth to passe that for want of imâ—loyment it is still and falleth asleep till the time come that it must be awaked 3. The third cause is that violence that is often offered unto it Many times when conscience perswadeth to any good duty or disswadeth from any eviâ— course men will do against it and withstand it violently put off the wholesome advise of it hence it cometh to passe that conscience having so many injuries offered unto it beginneth to provide for its own ease and so either it is silent and saith nothing or else iâ— soon answered and rebuked as it was with Moses When Pharaoh would never hearken unto Moses but still fell to excuses and at last to deny all he would not let Israel go notwithstanding all that Moses could urge but said to Moses Exod. 10.29 Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more Moses then answered Thou hast spoken well I will seâ— thy face no more So it is with conscience When men have been obstinate and have refused to heare it and woulâ— have it speak no more Thou hast welâ— spoken saith conscience henceforth I will trouble you no more but let you alone to take your course I will advise you no more or if I do I will not be any more imporâ—unate 4. A fourth cause is that men do wilfully stop the mouth of conscience â—f it beginneth to speak presently they â—usie themselves about other things or if that will not do they runne into companie and there spend their time that the howlings of conscience may not be heard and if still it be loud they strike up the drumme and ring all â—â—e bells that the voice of it may be â—â—terly drowned and so conscience at last is content to stand by to heare and see say nothing By this means many â—â—mes it falleth out that those who â—ave had very turbulent and clamouâ—us consciences not suffering them 〈◊〉 be quiet have at last tamed them â—â—d put them quite to silence or if â—â—ey do speak it is so coldly and reâ—issely that they care not whether they â— obeyed or no. Oh these are damnaâ—e and devilish devises Whoever ye â—e that do thus ye are in a dangerous estate and ye carry the brands of hell and damnation upon you If ever you desire to avoyd this dangerous estate then shun the cause Labour to have your conscience throughly illightned and informed by the word of God that it may reade you your duty A friend that knoweth but little can give but little counsel Again give heed evermore to the counsel of conscience You know Achitophel took it ill that his counsel was not followed therefore he made away himself in displeasure So conscience will take it very ill if its counsel be not followed it will strangle it self and smother it self you shall hear no more of it Especially take heed you do not reject conscience nor offer violence to it If you do you will make it unfaithfull and remisse and then you lose the best means under heaven of your good Then deadnesse of spirit succeedeth and hardnesse of heart taketh place and you deprive your souls of all possibility of cure As long as a sick man hath any possibility of cure he is still under hope but if ever he lost that he is gone Conscience is the possibilitie of the soul to amendment and therefore if you dull conscience and make conscience remisse and unfaithfull you take the ready way to deprive your selves of all possibility of rising again Consider these things and have a care of your consciences And thus we have handled the office of conscience about things to be done and omitted with its adjuncts affections and properties in that behalf I â—ome now to consider the office of conscience about things already done or omitted together with the affections of conscience in the discharge of that office The office of conscience about things already done or omitted THis hath foure parts 1. To approve 2. To absolve 3. To â—islike 4. To condemne according â—o the good or evil of our actions or â—omissions The judgement is not onely of the things what they are but whither they tend and what they will â—roduce I. An approving conscience FIrst when that which is done is good conscience approveth it as Paul saith This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience 2. Cor. 1.12 When he had lived uprightly and sincerely his conscience approved of it so when he had great sorrow and heavinesse for his brethren his conscience approved it Rom. 9.1 my conscience bearing me witnesse saith he So at his latter end we may see how his conscience approved the whole course of his life 2. Tim. 4.7 8. I have finished my course I have kept the faith c. there is consciences approbation of him from henceforth saith he is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse there is consciences judgement concerning the issue of it Conscience so approveth every particular good action done by a faithfull man that by it he may gather a testimony of the uprightnesse of his heart as Hezekiah Remember Lord that I have walked uprightly before thee 1. John 3.14 Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren Mark Love to Gods children is a sufficient testimony not onely of our uprightnesse in that particular act but also of the simplicity of our hearts in the generall and that we are translated from death to life So when good old Simeon had now even finished his dayes see what an approbation his conscience gave of him Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word His conscience here gave a threefold blessed approbaâ—â—on of him 1. That he had been Gods â—â—ithfull servant thy servant 2. That he had walked in the wayes of true peace and comfort depart in peace 3. That the promise of Gods word was his in particular according to thy word II. An absolving conscience THe second part of the office of conscience is to absolve and acquit â—hus Samuel pleading his innocency â—d his conscience testifying for him â—hose ox have I taken 1. Sam. 12.3 or whom have I deâ—auded and his conscience absolved â—m as clear and free from those sins Thus also Job If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherlesse when I saw my help in the gate If I rejoyced because my wealth is great If I have not given my bread to the hungry or if I have rejoyces at the misery of mine enemie then let iâ— be thus and thus to me His consciencâ— absolved him as clear of those sinnes Nay the conscience of a child of God doth
not onely absolve him from thâ— guilt of those sinnes which he neveâ— committed but also from the guilt oâ— those sinnes which he hath committeâ— against God or against man It can telâ— him he hath truly repented and trulâ— been humbled and truly got pardon Ye know David had committed diveâ— sinnes yet when he had humbled 〈◊〉 soul before God and obteined pardoâ— his conscience telleth him as much anâ— absolveth him Psal 103.3 Blesse tâ—â— Lord O my soul c. who forgiveth 〈◊〉 thy sinnes Nay though a child of Goâ— have many infirmities dayly and houâ—ly yet his conscience doth absolâ—â— him It is no more I that do it saith 〈◊〉 conscience but sinne that dwelleth in 〈◊〉 If I distrust it is no more I for I fight â—gainst it if I be overtaken by any weakâ—esse it is no more I for I laboured against 〈◊〉 and do bewail it III. A misliking conscience THe third part of consciences office in things done is to mislike if we â—ave done ill There be imperfections in the best obedience of Gods dearest servants What I do I allow not Rom. 7.15 saith â—aul His conscience misliked some â—â—ing done by him But that mislike of â—onscience which now I speak of is of â—â—ings that are ill done that is not done in truth and sinceritie Thus it is 〈◊〉 all that are not renewed by the holy Ghost The office of their conscience â—â—deed is to mislike what they do When they have prayed their consciâ—â—ce can mislike it and say I have not â—ayed with a heavenly mind a holy heart When they have been at a Sacrament â—onscience can truly mislike it and say â— have not been a fit guest at Christs taâ—â—e c. When they are crossed and â—empted their consciences truly mislike their carriage and say I do not fight and resist but readily and willingly yield tâ— every invitation to evil Do ye noâ— think that Jeroboams conscience misliked his altering Gods worship hiâ— innovating religion his making Israeâ— to sinne do not ye think his consciencâ— misliked him for these things Do noâ— ye think that Nabals conscience misliked his griping and Doegs conscience misliked his slandering and Pashurs conscience misliked his opposinâ— and misusing Jeremie and the old prophets conscience misliked his lying Who would have thought but Balaaâ— said well Whatsoever the Lord saith unto me that will I speak and I cannoâ— go beyond the commandment of the Lorâ— to do lesse or more no not for Balaâ—â— house full of gold who would havâ— thought but that this was well said yet his own conscience could noâ— choose but mislike it being not spokeâ— in sinceritie Many a man hath gooâ— for a Christian twentie or thirtie years and every one liketh him and yet iâ— may be his conscience hath disliked him all the while IV. A condemning conscience THe fourth part of consciences office in this behalf is to condemne â—f we have done evil and contrarie to Gods law Conscience hath an office â—ot onely to mislike us but also to conâ—emne us nay it will hasten more to â—ondemne us then God We see it in Adam Gen. 3.7 When Adam had sinned his â—onscience condemned him before God did he knew he was naked that 〈◊〉 had made his soul shamefully naked â—â—s conscience condemned him for an â—â—ostate before the Lord came to passe â—â—ntence upon him Nay it condemnâ—th us oftner then God God will condemne a sinner but once for all viz. 〈◊〉 the last day but conscience conâ—â—mneth him many thousand times beâ—â—re that Many men and women who 〈◊〉 seem godly in the worlds eyes God â—â—oweth how many of them have conâ—â—mning consciences in their bosomes 〈◊〉 all their civilities and formalities â—â—d crying God mercie and patchedâ—â— hopes many who would say that man were uncharitable who should condemn them for such and such who it may be find conscience within so uncharitable and saying plainly Ye are so like the conscience of Pauls heretick Tit. 3.11 who is said to be condemned of himself Vse 1 I. This serveth for the praise of the justice of God That he may be just when he judgeth the Lord needeth no other witnesse against us but our own consciences they make way for the just judgement of God Ye may see this in this portion of Scripture which we have in hand Rom. 2.15 wherein is shewed both that God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world vers 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men according to my Gospel and then in the verse going before the Apostle sheweth that now in the mean while every mans conscience maketh way for this just judgement of God their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or excusing one another At the last day every man shall be judged according to his conscience a child of God according to his a carnall man according to his The Lord shall absolve all his children and their own consciences shall absolve them The Lord shall condemn all the rest and their own consciences shall condemn them This is the book that every mans life is set down in Every passage of conversation both of the godly and the wicked is recorded dayly in this book And according to what is written therein will the Lord judge every soul at the last day as Rev. 20.12 The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book according to their works The Apostle there speaketh prophetically and putteth the past time for the future they were judged that is they shall be judged So that ye see that by the judgement of conscience way is made for the just judgement of God Vse 2 II. This should be a means to keep us from sinne and to keep us in a holy life for according to our works so will be the evidences of our consciences whether they be good or evil We had need to take heed what we write in our consciences for according to what is written there so shall we be judged Therefore if any sinne standeth upon record in our consciences we had need get it blotted out by the bloud of Christ Repent be humbled beg for pardon rest not till thou seest this debt-book conscience crossed and thy sinnes stand there cancelled and discharged THus I have shewed you the offices of conscience about things heretofore done Now let me shew you the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices Ye have heard that conscience hath foure offices in things heretofore done 1. an office to approve 2. an office to absolve 3. an office to dislike 4. an office to condemne The two former when we have done well and lived well then the office of conscience is to approve and absolve The two latter when we have done ill and lived ill then the office of conscience is to mislike and to condemne Now followeth the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices and they are
foure 1. A tender conscience 2. A sleepie conscience 3. A benumbed conscience 4. A seared conscience First a tender conscience 1. A tender conscience that is a conscience touched with the least sin â—nd checking us for the least sinne as for vain thoughts exorbitant passions â—dle words and the like 1. Sam. 24 5. Such was Davids conscience which smote him for â—utting off the lap of Sauls garment Such was Zaccheus his conscience which troubled him for supposed sins â—f I have wronged any man saith he He â—id not know but his conscience was so â—ender that it made him carefull of Ifs. This tender conscience is a singular blessing of God And if we desire to â—ttein unto it we must labour to see the â—diousnesse of sinne yea the malignity â—nd exceeding evil there is in the least â—inne this will make us tender of it Secondly we must labour to mourn for very sinne though it seem little this â—lso will keep our consciences tender And we have great cause to prise a tender conscience What got the Bethshemites by not being tender in conscience They looked into the Ark and because they durst venture upon it thâ— Lord smote fifty thousand of them aâ— once 1. Sam. 6.19 Numb 15.32 36. What got the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath for not being tender in conscience He was stoned tâ— death Conscience should tender thâ— least commandment of God and so bâ— tender of the committing the least sinâ— This conscience is a great blessing The second affection of consciencâ— is sleepinesse A sleepy conscience 2. A sleepy conscience iâ— not so quick in smiting us as it ought either it checks not or else with sucâ— faintnesse that it worketh not upon us it maketh us never the more watchfulâ— against sinne This we see by many whâ— can commit such sinnes without trouble or disquiet as would bring others on their knees and make theâ— walk heavily long after This sleepâ— conscience is very dangerous it maketh men as ready to fall into the same sinneâ— tomorrow as to day and next day as tomorrow it letteth them see their faults but amendeth none because this is such a conscience as doth not cause men to feel the burden of their sinnes A man can never come to Christ as long as he hath a sleepy conscience because it doth not cause sinne to be burdenâ—ome They who have this conscience â—an sleep for all it and eat and drink and â—e merry for all it Now a man can neâ—er come to Christ that is not burdenâ—d with his sinne that he cannot bear 〈◊〉 cannot be quiet for it cannot sleep â—or it then Christ calleth him Come unâ—o me Matth. 11.28 all ye that are weary and heavy laâ—en and I will ease you A benumbed conscience that is 3. A benumbed conscience â—â—ch a conscience as is in a deep sleep This differs from the former in degree You know there is a lesse sleep and â—ere is a greater sleep There is a lesse â—eep when onely the outward senses â—â—e bound and there is a sleep when â—â—e inward senses are bound too Now benumbed conscience is a conscience â—hat is in a deep sleep Preach to it it â—ourneth not cry to it it listeneth not This is a benumbed conscience Nor the greatnesse of sinne nor the wrath of God denounced against it can move it Men can know themselves guilty of such and such sinnes and yet not lay them to heart conscience never telleth them about it Thus the Apostle speaketh of those who knew thâ— judgement of God Rom. 1.32 that they which commiâ— such things are worthy of death yet noâ— onely do the same but have pleasure iâ— them that do them Their conscienceâ— though informed and in some measure knowing the evil of their courses and the severitie of Gods judgement yet leâ— them go on still and not onely commiâ— the evil themselves but delight to seâ— others as bad as themselves Such arâ— our swearers and drunkards and company-keepers c. This is a verâ— wretched conscience the Lord deliveâ— us from it 4. A seared conscience Fourthly a seared conscience thaâ— is such a conscience as speaketh not 〈◊〉 jote seared with a hot iron as the Apostles phrase is 1. Tim. 4.2 a sense lesse conscience a past-feeling conscience when men can swallow down sinne like drink oathes contempt of God his word and worship mockage of Gods servants hating to be reformed such as sin without any remorse This kind of conscience is in foure sorts of men 1. In dissolute and profligate persons who like common strumpets have their souls lie open to every sinne that cometh by 2. In obstinate sinners such as like Ahab have sold themselves to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. 3. In scoffers and jeerers who speak evil of them who runne not in the same excesse of riot with themselves and nickname the godly 4. In Apostates and backsliders who speak lies through hypocrisie and have fallen from the profession of the truth All these men have a conscience seared with a red-hot iron This is a great judgement of God greater then this there cannot â—e No outward judgement that can fall upon us is like unto it not the plague nor shame nor beggery no nor any curse besides hell it self is equall to it By this the onely means under God of repentance is taken away Such may come to repent but it is a thousand to one if ever they do It is like a grave-stone lying upon their consciences which keepeth them under untill the day of judgement at which time God will awaken their consciences and then they will be more furious in tormenting then the very devils themselves Vse Ye that are not yet fallen upon this wretched conscience I beseech you take heed that ye never do But ye will aske me How may we avoid it Avoid it alas ye may avoid it if ye be carefull for conscience never seareth it self If ever it be seared it is ye your selves that do fear it Indeed the mind of man may blind its own self and the heart of man may corrupt its ownself and the affections of man may defile their own selves but conscience never corrupteth it self never seareth it self But you will say What must I do to avoid this searing of conscience First listen to conscience well that whatever it saith to thee from God thou maist do it This was the course of the Psalmist I will hearken what the Lord God will say in me so some translate it Heare then and listen what the Lord God will say in thee what thy conscience illightened saith in thee and do it Secondly whenever this conscience is quick follow it Nothing more seareth conscience then suffering quickneings to die Blow the coles if they do but smoke As the Apostle saith quench not the Spirit so quench not conscience I have hitherto shewed you that every man hath a conscience and the
reasons why God hath given us a conscience the light that it acteth by the offices of it and the affections of it Now from all these proceed two other adjuncts of conscience 1. A quiet conscience 2. An unquiet conscience A quiet conscience COncerning a quiet conscience three things are to be considered 1. What a quiet conscience is 2. How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked 3. The examination whether we have this quiet conscience or no. I. For the first What a quiet conscience is It is that which neither doth nor can accuse us but giveth an honourable testimony of us in the course of our lives and conversations ever since we were regenerate I put that in too for 1. we do not begin to live till we be regenerate and 2. we can never have a true quiet conscience till then Such a quiet conscience had good Obadiah 1. Kings 18.12 I fear the Lord from my youth saith his conscience This was a very honourable testimony that his conscience gave him Such a quiet conscience had Enoch Heb. 11.5 Before his translation he received this testimony that he pleased God Dicente scripturâ inquit ille Haymo saith this testimony was the testimony of scripture Gen. 5.24 where it is said that he walked with God This is true but this is not all The text saith not there was such a testimony given of him but he had it and that before his translation but the testimony of Moses was after his translation Therefore it was the testimony of his conscience that bore witnesse within that he pleased God So that this is a quiet conscience which neither doth nor can accuse us but giveth an honourable testimony of us in the whole course of our life and conversation Now to such a quiet conscience there be three things necessary 1. Uprightnesse 2. Puritie 3. Assurance of Gods love and favour First uprightnesse is when a man is obedient indeed Many will be obedient but they are not obedient indeed not humbled indeed not reformed indeed What it is to be obedient indeed ye may see Exod. 23.22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voyce and do all that I shall speak c. Mark that is obedience indeed when we do all that God speaketh and are obedient in all things This is an upright conscience when the heart is bent to obedience in all things An example we meet with in Paul Acts 23.1 I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day His conscience could not accuse him of any root of wickednesse and corruption allowed and cherished in him That is an upright conscience Hast thou such a conscience as this My conscience can truly bear witnesse there is no sinne I favour my self in allow my self in but condemne all strive against all Thus David proveth that his conscience was upright If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer The regarding of any iniquity will not stand with uprightnesse A second thing required to a true quiet conscience is puritie Though ouâ— heart be upright and stand generally bent to do the Lords will yet if we be guiltie of some particular sinne this will hinder the quiet of our conscience Therefore saith Paul 1. Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my self that is no thing to acoâ— me no corruption no root of unbeliâ—â— reigning in him Infirmities he haâ— many and frailties he had many and hâ— knew them but he knew nothing 〈◊〉 accuse him Whatever was amisse iâ— him his conscience told him he useâ— all holy means against it If thy conscience can truly say thus also of thee then hast thou a truly quiet conscience Thirdly Assurance of Gods love favour and pardon Though we have fallen into great sinnes yet our consciences may have quiet if we can be truly assured of Gods love and favour in the pardon of them Heb. 10.2 The Apostle proveth that the sacrifices of the law could not purge away sinne but onely Christs bloud can do it His argument to prove it is this Because those sacrifices could not free a man from having conscience of sinne they could not purge the conscience but Christs bloud can After assurance of pardon in Christs bloud conscience can no more condemne for sinne how many or how great soever the sinnes were which have been committed These are the three things required to a true quiet conscience Furthermore a quiet conscience implieth two things 1. A calmnesse of spirit 2. A chearfull merry and comfortable heart These two I mean when I speak of a quiet conscience 1. A calmnesse of spirit or a quietnesse of mind not troubled with the burden of sinne nor the wrath of God nor terrified with the judgements due unto sinne This quietnesse and calmnesse of spirit is promised to all them that truly hearken unto Christ and obey him Prov. 1.33 Whoso hearkeneth to me shall be quiet from fear of evil 2. A chearfull merry and joyfull heart When our conscience giveth a comfortable testimonie of us it cannot but make our hearts joyfull 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimonie of our conscience saith Paul The comfortable testimonie which his conscience gave of him made him to rejoyce A wicked man cannot truly rejoyce no though he be merrie and joviall and laugh yet his carnall estate is a snare he can have no true joy but the righteous sing and rejoyce Prov. 29.6 No mirth like the mirth of a good conscience All other joy is but outside painted seeming joy That is onely true joy that is rooted in the comfortable testimonie of an upright good conscience which telleth a man his peace is made with God and that whether he be in sicknesse or in health God loveth him whether he live or die he is the Lords Thus ye see what a quiet conscience is How a quiet conscience in the godly differeth from the quiet conscience that is in the wicked THe second thing propounded to be considered about a quiet conscience is How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked 1. I confesse that the wicked seem to have a very quiet conscience Many thousands of carnall people seem to live and the in quiet Look into alehouses lewd houses into all places who so merrie and brisk and heart-whole as they say as they who have no saving grace Job 21.23 Yet 2. this quiet conscience in them must needs differ from the quiet conscience of the children of God Certainly the Lord will not give the childrens bread unto dogs neither will he smile upon their souls neither doth he pardon the sinnes nor accept the persons of the ungodly And therefore if they have a quiet conscience it must needs differ from that iâ— the godly Must not copper needs differ from gold And we who are the Lords messengers must teach you the difference Ezek. 44.23 They shall teach my people thâ—
lose our minds in the things of this life but this peace doth keep them upon God we should lose our hearts upon our profits and pleasures and affairs in the world but the peace of conscience doth keep them upon heaven Phil. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds This doth the peace and quiet of a good conscience but the quiet of a wicked mans conscience doth not do thus it keepeth not his mind in this manner but it is upon earthly things for all that IV. They differ in respect of duration and continuauce The quiet of a good conscience is settled and grounded in the godly it never faileth them nor forsaketh them the other peace is fading Let a feeling sermon come and rifle carnall men it taketh away their peace from them their consciences then flie in their faces and then they see they are not right Let losse of outward things come light upon them or any other affliction it taketh their peace from them conscience then breaketh out upon them and sheweth them how they have deceived them selves with false peace especially at their death then an evil conscience that hath been quiet before in stead of comforting will affright and amaze them But if we have the quiet of a good conscience it will make us heare the word with comfort and not be troubled and disquieted by a searching sermon or the threatnings of Gods judgements Nay if we be in trouble this will quiet us if in affliction this will comfort us It will endure all ouâ— life and be present at our death then especially it will shew it self a friend unto us in standing by us to chear and refresh us Psal 119.165 Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offeâ—â— them saith David nothing shall offend them or take away their peace it is anâ— eternall and everlasting peace Thâ— you have seen how the true and false peace of conscience differ But here cometh a question to 〈◊〉 answered and it is this Have all God children this peace of conscience I dare say some of you look for this question and long to have it answered I answer therefore No they have it not alwayes Job seemed one while not to have it I have sinned Job 7.20 saith his conscience what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men David seemed one while not to have it Mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavie burden they are too heavie for me Psal 38.4 His sinnes lay heavie upon his conscience for a fit Hezekiah one while seemed not to have it Behold for peace I had great bitternesse And therefore I say the children of God have it not alwayes But let me tell you They might have it alwayes 1. It is possible they should have it alwayes Their sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie do not break the peace of their consciences cannot for if they could then no man should have true peace of conscience at any time Nothing but willing and witting sins sinnes against conscience can break the peace of conscience as it is possible for the children of God to live without these so it is possible for them alwaies to have peace yea they may have dayly more and more peace 2. As it is possible for the children of God alwayes to have peace so they are commanded to keep their peace alwayes and it is their own fault if at any time they lose it Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace saith Eliphas Col. 3.15 So Let the peace of God rule in your hearts unto which ye are called We are not onely commanded to have peace in our hearts but also that it may rule there that no corruption perk over it to hinder it we are called to this peace and commanded to have it and therefore as it is a sinne in the common-wealth when one breaketh the peace so it is a sinne in the spirit to break the peace of conscience we are all bound to the peace 3. If the children of God have it not alwayes then they feel the want of it and in the want of that comfort nothing else will comfort them It is not all the peace and prosperitie of the world that can comfort their hearts as long as they have not this peace not all the mirth in the world can content them untill they enjoy this peace again the peace and quiet of a good conscience they faint for it and long after it they can have no strength without it Psal 29.11 The Lord will give strength unto his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace It is not so with corrupt hearts they can be without peace and yet never faint they can eat and drink for all that and sleep and be merry for all that yea and go about their profits and their earthly businesses as roundly as ever for all that But the children of God if they want the peace of conscience they have no strength to do any thing almost they faint till they have it again 4. The godly alwayes have the seeds of it in them Light is sown for the righteous Psal 97.11 and gladnesse for the upright in heart Mark it is sown in their hearts and it will spring up at one time or other to chear them and to comfort them As it is with the wicked they may seem now and then to have true peace but they have the seeds of horrour alwayes in them which will sprout forth at last and then they shall find the worm of an evil conscience again so on the contrarie side the godly may seem now and then to have no peace but yet they have alwayes the seeds of true peace in them which will in time shew themselves and solace their souls for ever 5. They never want peace as the wicked do want it The wicked want it and have no possibilitie of having it they go in such paths as wherein they shall never know peace Isai 59.8 such paths as will never lead them unto it still their conscience is able to say they are not right they are carnall and not spirituall they know no true peace of conscience neither can they But the children of God walk in such wayes as will bring them to true peace of conscience ere they have done By this ye see what a good and quiet conscience is It cannot be but that all must like it and wish O that we had it Beloved let us labour to get it and the assurance of it No blessing under heaven is like it It is a heaven upon earth Happie are they who can shew they have it and miserable are they who have it not Dulce nomen pacis Sweet and pleasant is the very name of peace especially of the peace of a good conscience If ye have it no misery can make you miserable and if ye have it not no happinesse can make
you happie It is Christs legacie which he bequeathed to his Church John 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you It is glorious and honourable Beest thou never so mean in the world thou art glorious if thou hast this peace beest thou never so despised and disgraced among men thou hast honour enough if thou hast this peace Rom. 2.10 To every one that doth good glory honour and peace Mark how it is accompanied namely with glory and honour But shame and confusion and dishonour is upon all them that have it not III. Examination Whether we have a quiet conscience COncerning a quiet conscience I propounded three things 1. What it is 2. How it differeth from that quiet conscience that is in the wicked 3. The examination whether we have this quiet conscience yea or no. The two former we have handled already namely What a quiet conscience is and How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked Let us passe on now unto the third namely to an examination of our selves whether we have a true quiet conscience yea or no. A quiet good conscience is such a marvellous blessing that it cannot possibly be but we must like it and wish O that we had it Let us then examine our selves and see whether we have it or no. Many have peace and quietnesse as hath been shewed alreadie arising from false grounds they have peace of conscience because they know not what belongeth to trouble of conscience or if they know that a little as some of the wicked do yet they do not consider that sorrow which one day will burst in upon them and sink them utterly Let us trie then our peace by these notes I. If the quiet of our consciences be good it is such as we have carefully sought for at the mercies of God in the bloud of Jesus Christ when being pinched with the burden of our sinnes we did fly to the promises of God â—o seek comfort to the bloud of Christ to find ease and to get assurance â—f Gods favour If our peace come not â—his way it is naught and we were betâ—er to be without it then have it It may be we speak peace to our selves â—ut doth the Lord speak peace to our â—onsciences Psal 85.8 I will heare what the Lord â—ill speak for he shall speak peace to his â—â—ople and to his saints but let them not â—rn again to folly for that will break 〈◊〉 their peace O go to God then and â—eare whether he speaketh peace to â—our consciences whether it be God in Christ reconciling the world to himself â—at speaketh it to you It is not true â—eace without we have sought for it at â—e throne of grace without it be peace 〈◊〉 Gods making Now the Lord speakâ—h peace to his people who come to â—m for peace three wayes 1. He â—peaketh peace to them by his word â—his speaking is thus When the word â—romiseth peace to those who walk by such a rule and they walk by that rule then Gods word speaketh peace to their souls The rule is set down Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature and theâ— followeth As many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them 2. God speaketh peace to his peoplâ— in their consciences This speaking iâ— thus When the conscience can say â— am in Christ I am engraffed into Christ then the Lord speaketh peace by thâ— conscience 1. Pet. 5.14 peace be with you all that 〈◊〉 in Christ Jesus so also when the coâ—science can say I hunger after righteoâ—nesse I truly mourn for sinne I desiâ— in all my wayes to please God Thirdly God speaketh peace by his Spirit Thâ— speaking is thus When the word hatâ— spoken peace by the promise and whâ— the conscience speaketh I am thus aâ— thus qualified and therefore I have peâ— then the Spirit of God cometh in aâ— witnesseth Yea you say right peace bâ—longeth unto you indeed and I say Aâ—â— to it When the Spirit of God doâ— say thus then the Lord speaketh peace â—o the soul Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is â—ve joy peace Peace is the fruit of â—e Spirit it speaketh it to the soul â—reedeth it in the soul Now beloved â—xamine your selves Is your peace of â—is stamp do ye seek it of God and â—et it in the bloud of Christ Jesus do 〈◊〉 get it by the word and by your true-â—eaking conscience and by the holy â—irit of God If ye get it on this wise â—en it is true peace of conscience inâ—ed If ye get it by your own vain â—pes and by your good meanings c. â—s peace will not hold alwayes when â—ur consciences come to be awaked â—ur peace will all vanish away and be 〈◊〉 more This is the first note to try â—d examine your selves by II. If our quiet and peace of conâ—ence be good it is accompanied â—th such a life as is agreeable to the â—ll of God it avoydeth sinne as the â—ng that disturbeth the peace How â—n any man have true peace of consciâ—ce when his life doth not please God â—t provoketh his wrath against him It cannot be that he should have truâ— peace who in his heart doth regarâ— sinne There is no peace to the wickeâ— saith my God No where ever truâ— peace of conscience doth inhabit 〈◊〉 dwelleth with godlinesse of life and unblameablenesse of conversation as thâ— Apostle Peter joyneth them togetheâ— 2. Pet. 3.14 Wherefore beloved seenâ— ye look for such things be diligent thâ— ye may be found of him in peace withoâ— spot and blamelesse Mark the words In peace without spot and blamelesse 〈◊〉 ever we would be found in true peacâ— we must live without spot and blamelesse A wicked mans conscience maâ— seem to have peace and tell him he haâ— served God Prov. 7.14 This day I have paid 〈◊〉 vowes saith the conscience of the whoâ—â— but this is a rotten and deceitfull peacâ— True peace of conscience is ever accoâ—panied with such a kind of life as is â—greeable to the will of God in his woâ— III. If our peace be good it wâ— make us endure to heare any point 〈◊〉 Gods word with joy and delight 〈◊〉 wicked heart can heare points of mercâ— and comfort with joy so long his peace â—steth Every man that calleth upon the â—ame of the Lord shall be saved If we conâ—sse our sins God is just to forgive us our â—ns If any man sin we have an Advocate â—ith the Father Jesus Christ the righteâ—s Whoever shall confesse that Jesus 〈◊〉 the Sonne of God God dwelleth in him â—d he in God Such points as these a â—icked heart can reade with delight â—hough if they were truly opened and â—pounded they would yield him cold â—mfort yet he can heare them with â—light in the lump But if a searchâ—g point or some terrible point coâ—eth he is afraid to heare that
Ahab â—d a quiet conscience but onely when â—icaiah did preach Felix had a quiâ—conscience no doubt yet he tremâ—d to heare Paul preach of death and 〈◊〉 judgement Acts 24.25 One would we thought that Paul a prisoner â—ould rather have been afraid but â—ul had true peace of conscience and â—erefore he could think and speak of â—ath with great comfort and of judgeâ—ent with joy So could not Felix Beloved this is a strong signe of a saâ— peace when some points of Gods woâ— lay us flat and bereave us of our holâ— Ye shall have many say O they haâ— such peace and they have such a good coâ—science as quiet as can be and as heaâ— whole as can be By and by a souâ— searching point cometh and ransackeâ— them to the quick and they are goâ— I confesse they go and get some unteâ—pered morter or other and dawb 〈◊〉 their consciences again but they 〈◊〉 gone for the time This is a stroâ—â— signe of a rotten peace But a child â— God can heare any point heare â— death of judgement of any thing coâ—teined in the word with delight aâ— comfort It is true he may be aâ—zed thereat but he is glad at heart tâ—â— he heareth it and will make use ofâ— be it mercy or judgement Sweet 〈◊〉 bitter points all are welcome to hiâ— even the bitterest points are sweet 〈◊〉 him because God and he are at peaceâ— and therefore he knoweth there is 〈◊〉 news from God but it is good IV. If our peace of conscience 〈◊〉 good it will heal that base fearfulnesse â—hich is in many who dare not be in â—e dark dare not go through a â—urch-yard in the night Some will â—ake at the very shaking of a leaf as â—e wicked in Job Job 15.21 which is nothing â—t a guiltie conscience I grant this â—rfulnesse is naturall to some yet I 〈◊〉 the true peace of conscience will â—re it I do not say this is a reciproâ—ll signe of true peace of conscience â—r many wicked men may be bold â—ough but I say true peace of conâ—ence will cure this immoderate fearâ—nesse in the godly But here two questions are to be askâ— I. Whether every true child of â—od that hath true peace of conscience â—n think of death with comfort and 〈◊〉 desirous to die Answ 1. Peace of conscience doth â—t take away naturall fear It is the â—ture of every living creature to be veâ— fearfull of death The Philosopher â—lleth death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fearâ—llest thing of all fearfull things Bildad â—lleth it the king of terrours Job 18.14 Nature loveth its own preservation and thereforâ— feareth the destruction of it Peace oâ— conscience doth not take away all thâ— fear 2. Besides peace of conscienâ—â— doth not take away alwayes all degreâ— of slavish fear of death The reason iâ— because peace of conscience may 〈◊〉 weak mixed with much troubles 〈◊〉 conscience For as faith may be veâ— imperfect so peace of conscience mâ— be in some very imperfect Good oâ— Hilarion was very fearfull to die Hâ— cried out to his soul when he lay on hâ— death-bed O my soul hast thou servâ— Christ these fourescore years and art thâ— now afraid to die Again a mans loâ— may be very imperfect 1. John 4.18 Perfect love iâ—deed casteth out fear but imperfeâ—â— love doth not Hezekiah had peaâ— of conscience Remember Lord saith 〈◊〉 I have walked before thee in truth 2. Kings 20.3 〈◊〉 with a perfect heart Mark He had tâ— peace of a good conscience his coâ—science told him he had a sincere heaâ— and that his wayes pleased God yâ— he was afraid to die I do not thinkâ— was onely because he had no issuâ— though that might be some reason of it â— When a child of God is afraid to â—ie it is not so much for love of this â—ife as out of a desire to be better prepaâ—ed This made David cry out O â—pare me that I may recover strength Psal 39.13 beâ—ore I go hence and be no more And so â—ob Let me alone Job 10.20 21. that I may take comâ—ort a little before I go whence I shall not â—eturn These good men were then â—omething unwilling to die They â—ight have many reasons most likely â—is was one That they might be betâ—er prepared and more fit and ready for â—eir departure 4. Some of Gods â—eople as these Job and David at â—ther times I say some of Gods peoâ—â—e have such marvellous peace with â—od as that if it were Gods will they â—ad much rather die then live Phil. 1.23 I desire 〈◊〉 be dissolved saith Paul and to be with â—hrist which is farre better It may be â— regard of the church or the care of â—eir children and charge God hath laid â—n them they could be content to reâ—ain still in the body neverthelesse â—hey account their state after death much better and were it put to them whether to die or to live longer here they would choose death rather of the twain 1. Kings 19.4 Nay Elias requested for himselâ— that he might die It is enough Lordâ— take away my life Not that they lovâ— death it self for death is evil in its owâ— nature contrary to nature a badge oâ— sinne but for the love they have to anâ— the assurance they have of eternall lifâ— after death 5. Nay there is no chilâ— of God but may truly be said to lovâ— death and to love the day of judgement and the appearing of Christ Jesus Divines use to put this as a signe of Godâ— children Nay the Apostle maketh thiâ— as a propertie of Gods children to lovâ— Christs appearing I have fought a gooâ— fight saith Paul I have finished mâ— course There he telleth us of his owâ— peace and then he telleth us of his reward 2. Tim. 4.8 From henceforth is laid up for 〈◊〉 a crown of righteousnesse which the Lorâ— the righteous Judge shall give me in thâ—â— day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing that is to alâ— his children For all the children oâ— God love the appearing of Jesus Christ to judgement Though all do not desire it with the same strength of faith â—et all desire it with faith They beâ—ieve that Christ hath destroyed him that â—ath the power of death Heb. 2.14 which is the deâ—il they believe Christ hath taken â—way deaths sting which is sinne 1. Cor. 15.56 57. and 〈◊〉 allowed death up in victory and may â—l say Thanks be unto God who hath giâ—en us victory through our Lord Jesus â—hrist Neither do they so much queâ—on this as their faith to believe it â—ying Lord help our unbelief 6. Gods â—ildren have good reason to do so â—d to check their own hearts whenâ—er they do otherwise Whenever any â—strust cometh they should check it â—wn again whenever any fear ariâ—h they should say What I fear â—â—th which is a thing so precious Psal 116.15 Preâ—us in the sight of the
and then in discontent and in hatred and then in hardnesse of heart the Lord rebuked him and yet his heart was so hard that still he went on in evil then he murdered his brother and lastly he despaireth Gen. 4.13 My sinnes are greater saith his conscience then can be forgiven He thought God could not find in his heart to forgive him So when men sinne and sinne and the Lord doth rebuke them and yet they do sinne and their consciences do check them and yet they go on at last they come to have secret despairs in their heart that God now will not look towards them whereas if yet they had a mind to stoop to Jesus Christ they might be forgiven 2. A second cause of despairing is multitude of temptations Indeed the godly should not be so apt to think themselves forsaken of God by reason of temptations as sometimes they are they should rather count it joy as James speaketh chap. 1.2 But yet many of the wicked despair finally by this means Because they do so often fall into temptations therefore they conclude they are forsaken of God 3. Ignorance of Gods word When the guiltinesse of sin meeteth with minds not instructed in the doctrine of free grace and reconciliation by Christ this is a cause of despair 4. So also inured custome of sinning is another cause When men are often quickned and grow dead again then quickned again for a fit and then hardned again in the end they fall to despair These and the like are the causes of despairing consciences And thus I have shewed also the second thing propounded to be handled namely the sundry degrees of troubled consciences III. The third thing is the difference between the troubled conscience in the godly and in the wicked The consciences of Gods children may be troubled and are many times and the consciences of the wicked they are troubled too now the question is How do they differ I answer 1. That trouble in the conscience of wicked men is accompanied with impenitency and sometimes with blasphemy I would I were able to resist God saith Francis Spira like those in the Revelation who blasphemed God because of their torments Sometimes it is accompanied with cursings as Isai 8.21 sometimes with infinite murmuring But in Gods children it is not so When their conscience is troubled they justifie God and clear God and give him the glory of all and submit under his hand and subdue their hearts unto him as David in his trouble did not fret and murmure against God but saith he If God have no pleasure in me lo 2. Sam. 15.26 here I am let him do with me what seemeth him good So that the trouble of conscience in the children of God and in the wicked doth much differ in this first respect 2. The trouble of conscience in the wicked ariseth onely from the apprehension of Gods wrath and fear of judgement for sinne not for the sinne it self and from the love of holinesse But that in Gods children ariseth chiefly for sinne and the want of the apprehension of Gods love unto them How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Psal 13.1 Mark whence the trouble of the Psalmist came This was his trouble that God did hide his face 3. Trouble of conscience in the wicked never maketh them part with sinne never breedeth a hatred of sin in them but that in Gods children doth True it is that a wicked mans troubled conscience may make him vomit up his sin like a dog that vomiteth up his troublesome meat but he doth not vomit up his stomach to that meat for when the trouble is over he returneth to his vomit again So a carnall man returneth to his deadnesse of heart again and to his securitie again when the trouble is over Pharaoh whilest his conscience was troubled at the sense of Gods judgements O then saith he I have sinned I pray Moses let me have your prayers and I will let you go If the children of Israel could have packed up and departed while this trouble had lasted they might have been gone But when he saw there was respite Exod. 8.15 he hardned his heart again Mark His trouble of conscience did not make him part with his sinne But that in Gods children doth 4. That in the wicked driveth them from God They have little heart to come unto him They see nothing but wrath and they rather go about to seek ease in other things then to seek his favour as Saul sought ease in musick and Cain in building castles and cities and Judas in a desperate course Their trouble fetcheth them not to God But the trouble in Gods children worketh otherwise In the midst of trouble of conscience they rest upon God as Heman crieth Psal 88.1 O Lord God of my salvation in the midst of the troubles of his soul The eyes of Gods children are still towards heaven they think still they should have some help from God They pray and cry and though God seemeth to neglect them yet they cannot give over They will not be beaten off from waiting on God when he will speak comfort to them 5. That trouble that is in the wicked maketh their heart sullen but that in the godly melteth their heart My soul is like melting wax saith David in his troubles of conscience His soul melted before God and was even poured out before him Psal 22.13 This is a kindly working Thus ye see the difference Vses Vse 1 1. BY this we see what a miserable thing it is to have such a troubled conscience It is the greatest misery that can be it is even a hell to men here upon earth it is like a dismall ghost to terrifie the soul it is like a burning furnace in the bosome it maketh the life bitter In a word the spirit of man is not able to bear it The spirit of man will sustein its infirmities Prov. 18.14 but â—a wounded spirit who can bear As long as a mans spirit is sound it will bear any thing Some have born agues fevers stones colicks convulsions rackings torturings as long as a mans spirit is sound he is able to bear any of them all of them but a wounded spirit who can bear Never was there man that was able to bear a wounded spirit We may see by many of Gods children how heavy it is David rored with the anguish of it a strange phrase He man was ready even to runne out of his wits with it While I suffer thy terrours saith â—he I am distracted Psal 88.15 Moses putteth himself into the number We are even consumed by thine anger Psal 90.7 Ethan complaineth that it was like a burning fever How long O Lord wilt thou hide thy face for ever shall thy wrath burn like fire Psal 89.46 If it be thus with Gods children what may we think of the wicked If we could search into the bosomes
of some wicked men who are enemies to God then we might see and understand the true weight and burden of this troubled conscience Cain crieth out of more then he can bear Judas thought to find more ease in hell then in his own heart So terrible was the torture of his troubled conscience that he murdered himself thinking verily that hell could not be worse Vse 2 2. See here what an infinite misery every sinner shall one day be in Though he be not troubled with this harpye for the present though he be not yet gastered with this furious hag yet the day will come when he shall I say the time will come when all ye that are wicked shall be haunted with this hellish agony of a troubled conscience either here before ye die or when ye die or at furthest when your souls are departed out of your bodies This is unavoydable to all that live and continue in sinne Though for a while ye live in mirth and pleasure and securitie and conscience letteth you alone though like Nabal to day ye feast and make merry yet there is a conscience within you an Abigail which to morrow will tell you of it and then your hearts will die within you and be like stones 1. Sam. 25.37 as cold and as heavie as a stone within you As Samuel met with Saul 1 Sam. 15.26 Because thou hast forsaken the Lord the Lord also hath forsaken thee so conscience will find you out However for a while ye slight and neglect it or else perhaps suppresse it yet it will find you out as Eliah did Ahab and then ye will say as he did Hast thou found me 1. Kings 21.20 O mine enemy yea I have found thee Thou hast sold thy self to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thou hast been a profane beast thou hast run against heaven and against God and Christ and thy life hath been full of rebellions c. now I have found thee out The day will come when thy conscience shall be like Jobs messenger Ye know what news the messengers brought Job first news of one great evil and then of another greater and then of a third worst of all cattel and goods taken away servants dead sonnes and daughters dead I onely am left alive to tell thee So I say the time will come when conscience shall thus report Thy pleasures are dead thy profits are dead thy comforts are dead thy heart is dead thy soul is cursed and must die for ever and I onely am left alive to tell thee And then he shall crie our Cursed was I that ever I was born and cursed be the womb that bare me and the paps that gave me suck Then shalt thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy bodie are consumed and thy conscience shall say How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor enclined mine ears to them that instructed me Such dolefull messages conscience will bring in one day and then it shall hisse like a snake in thy bosome Know now that for all these things thou shalt come to judgement And so thy conscience shall bray thee like a fool in a mortar as it were with a pestill and it shall pounce thee and beat thee and distresse thee for evermore This is the moth that getteth into the cloth and doth eat it Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquitie thou makest his beautie to consume away like as when a moth fretteth a garment This will make thy face gather blacknesse and thy spirit be overwhelmed for evermore I must adde another use yet For all this is the law and untill ye be in Christ ye are all under the law the curse of it the rigour of it And we are bound to tell you how ye shall find it if ye do not submit to the righteousnesse of Christ But though we do preach the law yet we do preach it in the hand of a mediatour saith Paul Gal. 8.19 a terrible killing law but yet in a mercifull hand in the hand of a mediatour to drive us to seek for mercie and therefore Vse 3 The third use shall be to call upon you to be humbled and to see that there is no living for you in your sinnes Go and stoop to Christ Jesus who onely can purge your guiltie consciences by his bloud I beseech you consider ye who yet abide in your sinfull estates and are yet in the flesh I beseech you consider what the event will one day be If ye will not look out your consciences will find you out at the last and then wo be to you Your consciences will make all things grievous and bitter to you even those things which in themselves are most sweet and good When ye heare of heaven of mercie of the bloud of Christ these will but encrease your miserie conscience will say You have no part in them When you heare the word any promise or comfortable passage in it your conscience will say Yea this is my miserie I have no share in these things This will be a hell unto you and will torment you before your time This will also make all outward good things bitter unto you When you see wife and children and friends then conscience will whisper and say I shall not have these long ere long I shall have none but damned companie When you see your goods estates and the like conscience will mutter Alas ere long I shall be in a place where a drop of water shall not be afforded me to cool my tongue When you see the light and other comfortable objects O wo is me I shall shortly be in a place where I shall see nothing but darknesse utter and everlasting darknesse Conscience will make your afflictions intolerable your sicknesse intolerable your death-bed intolerable the face of death intolerable I beseech you brethren consider these things you that have not felt a troubled conscience untill this houre Ye hardly know yet what it is ye will know it to your sorrow if you do not consider it There is a phrase in Ezek. 30.24 where God saith he will make Pharaoh grone with the gronings of a man deadly wounded So it will be with you if you will not hearken and submit to Jesus Christ conscience will make you grone with fearfull grones O wo is me I am undone without hope without remedie Consider this therefore and be wise before the things which concern your peace be hidden from you And let me the rather exhort Exhortation you to this in regard of the danger of the times The Lords wrath is gone out and his judgements do flie through the earth and his plagues do fall on every side of us What will your guiltie consciences do now oh you can never endure them Ye had need of purged consciences now lest ye be quite comfortlesse in the day of visitation
peace also If we know once that God loveth us then we may set our hearts at rest As long as we doubt of his love our conscience can never have true peace And therefore if we would maintein true peace of conscience let us labour to be assured of Gods love Answ 3 Thirdly We must use the exercise of faith in applying the bloud of Christ we must labour to purge and cleanse our consciences with it If we find that we have sinned we must runne presently to the bloud of Christ to wash away our sinne We must not let the wound fester or exulcerate but presently get it healed As there is a fountain of sinne â—n us so there is a fountain of mercie â—n Christ Zech. 13.1 set open for Judah and Jerusalem and for every poore soul to wash â—n As we sinne dayly so he justifieth dayly and we must dayly go to him for â—t As every day we runne into new debts so the Lords prayer teacheth us every day to beg forgivenesse We must every day eye the brazen serpent Justification is an ever-running fountain and therefore we cannot look to have all the water at once A fountain ever runneth anew so justification ever floweth anew and we must go to it Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec O let us sue out every day a dayly pardon of course Let us not sleep one night without a new pardon Better sleep in a house full of adders and venemous beasts then sleep in one sin O then be sure with the day to clear the sinnes of the day Then shall our conscience have true peace Object But how if I have relapsed what shall I do then Sol. I answer Every man that falleth doth not fall on all foure as we use to say he doth not fall quite There be degrees of falling As in a sick man though he be ill yet he is not by and by dead some life remaineth still which will look out towards health again so there is so much life in justification as to recover thee again Be constant therefore in this course Ever go to Christ ever wash in this fountain ever bring thy soul hither to be cleansed and then thy conscience ever shall have peace Answ 4 Fourthly If we would maintein our peace then let us labour to be constant in obedience to Jesus Christ Whosoever keepeth his word in him verily is the word of God perfected and hereby know we that we are in him 1. John 2.5 Mark Hereby our conscience may tell us that we are right and speak peace to us if we keep his word II. Question How the peace of our conscience doth depend upon our care and our obedience The reason why I raise this question is this Because as our justification is onely in Christ so our peace is onely in him how then doth the peace of our conscience depend on obedience The place of scripture that occasioneth the doubt is 1. Pet. 3.21 The answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ It is by Christ how dependeth it then on our obedience Answ 1. A good conscience doth not depend upon our obedience as the principall cause of it but upon justification which we have by Christ if we be in him Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Ye see then that our peace is grounded upon our justification as the principall cause of it If we should seek for peace from our works and obedience alas they are sinfull and defective there is no peace to be found in them Our conscience would be troubled at our best duties at our weaknesse in prayer our frailties in hearing our slips in every holy service There is nothing we do but our conscience might find fault with it and pick a hole in it and therefore we had need to flie unto Christ for true peace No wonder then that Papists have not true peace but professedly say that every man must doubt and no man can be sure of his salvation They must needs doubt indeed who trust to their own works which can never bring true peace The conscience must ever be quarrelling and finding of fault and be without peace if we trust to the best works So that this is the first answer All true peace dependeth upon justification by faith in Christ as the principall cause Secondly We answer That our peace dependeth upon our obedience in this sort that we can have no peace except we be given to obedience Those men that can sinne and yet be at peace were never justified in their lives A child of God when he sinneth as for example if he should be tempted to lie or to omit a good dutie which he knoweth he is bound to perform yet this would much trouble his conscience his soul would be ashamed his heart perplexed he would not know how to look the Lord in the face I have sinned what shall I do unto hee O thou preserver of men When David had sinned against God Psal 38.6 I am troubled saith he and I go mourning all the day long And therefore peace of conscience doth depend thus farre on obedience as that a man cannot have peace â—nlesse he be obedient and take heed of sinne and labour in all things to be upâ—ight before God Now if you ask me But how doth our peace depend upon our obedience I answer Dub. Sol. It dependeth upon obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which would hinder our peace Sinne would interrupt our peace now obedience removeth sinne To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 1. John 3.18 19. My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth For hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before God Hereby we shall assure our consciences that we are in him if we take heed of hypocrisie If we love in truth and be obedient in truth we shall thereby remove all our doubts and our fears our troubles and perplexities of conscience So that peace doth depend on obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which otherwise would hinder peace This is the first Again our peace of conscience dependeth upon our obedience as the witnessing cause of it Obedience is one of the witnesses of true peace it witnesseth that we have peace with God 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing even the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie we have had our conversation in the world See here it is the witnessing cause of it Paul had peace of conscience his conscience was able to make him rejoyce How Because it gave testimony that his conversation was godly and simple and gracious Though we be in Christ yet we can have no peace unlesse holy obedience doth witnesse the same Obedience is not the cause of the peace of our consciences before God
but it is the cause of our perceiving the same We know we have peace by reason of our obedience 1. John 2.29 We know that every one that doeth righteousnesse is born of God We know we are passed from death to life 1. John 3.14 1. John 4.13 because we love the brethren Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by the spirit that he hath given us Mark we come to know it by obedience and by the fruits of obedience Take away obedience we can never know peace They that walk by this rule Gal. 6.16 peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God saith the Apostle Thirdly our peace of conscience dependeth on our obedience as the confirming cause Christ confirmeth our peace to us by making us walk close to him and obedient unto him Paul sheweth how it preserveth peace as a shoe preserveth the foot ye know if we should walk without shoes barefoot our feet would be in danger of pricking and hurting So doth obedience to the Gospel preserve our peace Stand Ephes 6.15 saith the Apostle having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Mark he compareth it to a shoe which he would have us shod with and then it will be the Gospel of peace to us and our peace shall be in safety Fourthly our peace dependeth upon our obedience not onely as a signe of true peace nor onely as a guard to it but as a thing pleasing to God without the which we displease God For though God be pleased with his children alwayes in Christ yet he is not pleased that any in Christ should be disobedient to him 1. Thess 4.1 Ye have received of â—â— how ye ought to walk and to please God saith the Apostle When Gods children walk in obedience that is pleasing unto God So that peace of conscience doth greatly depend on obedience For otherwise conscience will be troubled O I do not please God This is displeasing unto God and This doth provoke God Not as though there were any such perfection in our obedience that can satisfie any tittle of Gods law but because when our persons are pleasing to God in Jesus Christ then our obedience to God is pleasing too in Jesus Christ and conscience will say it Thus much shall suffice for answer to the second question III. Question What manner of obedience it is that peace of conscience dependeth upon The reason of this question is this Because it should seem there is no such obedience in this life as any peace of conscience should depend on Doth not James say In many things we sinne all Doth not our Saviour say When ye have done all that ye can say We are unprofitable servants If our conscience can still say that we are unprofitable and that we do sinne in every thing that we do yea in many things in all the duties we go about if our consciences can say thus How can any peace depend upon obedience What obedience do you mean that peace of conscience dependeth upon I answer 1. Absolute perfection in obedience is not required unto evangelicall peace For if it were no man could have peace no not Paul nor Abraham nor any of the holiest of Gods children and therefore absolute perfection is not required If we say we have not sinned we make Christ a liar and his word is not in us 1. John 1.10 Our conscience can still say we have sinned and it can still say our obedience is imperfect A halting leg can never go perfectly A Jacob is called he that halteth and every godly soul halteth Though he do not halt between two as wicked people do yet he halteth in following after God What purblind eye can see perfectly or thick eare heare perfectly He that hath these imperfections of body can neither go nor see nor heare perfectly So the best of Gods children have imperfections of heart and spirit and mind their faith is imperfect their love is imperfect and therefore their obedience must needs be imperfect But absolute perfection is not required to true peace of conscience and therefore this doth not hinder it 2. Though absolute perfection be not required to peace yet such obedience is required as may be acceptable to God So saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5.9 We labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Such obedience we must shew as may be accepted of him or we cannot have true peace If our endevours be not acceptable our conscience will quickly heare of it and tell us so If we pray coldly or heare unprofitably or live loosely if we do not do that which is acceptable to God our consciences will soon complain Nay though we do do the duties if we do not do them in an acceptable manner conscience will have matter against us still 3. This acceptablenesse of obedience lieth in this when our obedience is sincere universall and totall and proceeding from the spirit of Christ Jesus dwelling in us The Apostle giveth it this phrase When we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.4 That is our fulfilling the law when Christ hath fulfilled the law for us and maketh us sincerely to walk by it not after the flesh but after the Spirit when we do not favour our selves in one lust nor suffer our selves in any beloved sinne but whatever it be that is evil our conscience can say we truly do hate it and labour to avoid it whatever it be that is commanded us be it never so contrary to our nature yet our conscience can say we sincerely set our selves to do it So walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit this is sincerity of obedience and this is required unto peace 4. This sincerity of obedience maketh us to bewail our very infirmities and to be humbled for them not onely to be humbled for greater sinnes but also to be humbled for our infirmities If we be not soundly humbled for our very infirmities also they will hinder the peace of our conscience We can have no peace except our conscience can witnesse that our infirmities do humble us and drive us to Christ and cause us to sue out a pardon If conscience have not a pardon sealed for infirâ—ities also it will not be at peace Christ bare our very infirmities Matth. 8.17 therefore we must be humbled for them Matth. 8.17 and go to him for pardon of them too or conscience will not be at peace Thus I have answered also this third question IV. Question How if a man have a burdened and troubled conscience what must he do to be freed from it The reason of this question is this Because men are ignorant about it When men are troubled in conscience and burdened a little that way presently they daub all with peace and go a wrong way to work This course the Lord doth complain of in the false prophets who preached too much peace
They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace Jer. 8.11 when there is no peace And so they do more hurt then good Like a chirurgion that skinneth the wound before he giveth searching salves to kill the matter of it afterwards it breaketh out worse and it is a hundred to one but it will cost the patient his life So it is with many men A man cannot rore a little for his sinnes I have been a sinner and what shall I do I have been a beast c. But O say they believe man Christ died for thee and the promise is to thee and God will pardon thee Thus they heal him slightly with Peace peace and it may be there is no peace to him yet he had need to be searched more deeply they skinne the wound and it is a thousand to one but it loseth the mans soul by giving a cordiall where a corrosive was necessarie And therefore great reason that this question should be answered If a man have a burdened troubled conscience what must such a man do to be freed from it I answer 1. Let him take heed that he meddle not too much with the secret will of God what his decree and purpose is from eternitie As soon as an arrow is shot into the conscience the conscience cometh to be humbled commonly the heart layeth about it And how if God have reprobated me and what if he have appointed me to wrath how then Beloved ye must take heed of this If your hearts fasten upon reprobation that will marre all that will quite discourage a poore soul from going to God 2. Understand the word right Do not think that because God hath not in particular named thee therefore he hath excluded thee Gods promises are made in generall to all that believe and they are to be applyed in particular to all them that believe why then shouldst thou exclude thy self when God doth not exclude thee Wouldst thou have Christ Christ to justifie thee Christ to sanctifie thee Christ to rule thee Wouldst thou be under Christs regiment and live at his will Come and welcome no soul is excepted Whosoever will Rev. 22.17 let him take of the water of life freely Ye see there is a Quicunque vult Whosoever will Indeed if thou hast not a will to be in Christ but thou wilt do thus and thus and thou wilt have thy will and this lust and that friend and such a course and Tush this is too strict nay if you be there thou art not for Christ I have nothing for thee but hell and damnation But if thou wouldst have Christ indeed and be in Christ indeed thy heart in Christ thy will in Christ thy whole self in Christ then arise he calleth thee Thus understand the word right the gospel doth not exclude thee whosoever thou art 3. Thou must not for fear of shame or losse c. keep from restitution wheresoever thou hast done wrong or satisfaction wheresoever thou hast cozened or reformation wheresoever thou art accustomed to any evil or the doing any thing that may procure ease and quiet to thy conscience It may be one is troubled in conscience for his wronging his neighbour in twentie pounds and if he would make restitution he might have sound peace but he will not no he daubeth up his conscience some other way Another it may be suffereth disorders in his familie and foul abuses which if he would redresse he might have peace but he will not Another if he would down with his pride another if he would be acquainted with Gods servants or if he would take any pains in good duties be more diligent for the work of repentance c. but these things will not be done Men plaister up their consciences I know not how some other way and so go to hell for not taking the right way But if any of you be troubled in conscience keep back nothing hold back nothing that may make for your true peace and quiet 4. Thou must wait on God Cast thy self at his feet humbly desire him to give thee the true peace of conscience But wait Gods leisure knowing thou hast deserved to be utterly deprived of it and thus doing thou shalt find it to thy great comfort at last Isai 30.18 Blessed are all they that wait for him that is when the Lord will be mercifull He will do it with judgement he will do it when it may do thee the most good when it may bring himself most glorie therefore it is fit thou shouldst wait for his time of comforting Now because many do misconstrue this waiting Gods leisure As for example one is dead to all good duties O saith he I wait the Lords leisure till he quicken me My heart is much hardned saith another but I wait the Lords leisure till he be pleased to soften it Thus men are lazie in the mean while and yet they think they wait the Lords leisure O beloved this is not the waiting the Lord meaneth this will not stay conscience conscience is guiltie for all this waiting therefore I beseech you consider what waiting I mean 1. Wait upon the Lord and keep his way thou dost not wait else unlesse thou keep praying and striving and meditating and enquiring and watching thine own heart lest it should slip aside 2. Thou must wait as a servant waiteth upon his master If his master calleth he cometh if he sendeth he goeth if he beckeneth he taketh notice Psal 123.2 So thou must wait As servants wait upon their masters so our eyes wait upon the Lord till he have mercie upon us Be obedient in the mean time go when he sendeth come when he calleth observe when he beckeneth be diligent to be doing his pleasure 3. Thou must wait onely upon God not upon thy lusts too and upon other things too but thou must wait onely upon God My soul wait thou onely upon God saith David Psal 62. â—5 If thou wait upon any thing else this is not to wait upon God One waiteth a time to be revenged another waiteth a time to satisfie this or that lust this is not to wait upon God at all 4. Take heed of healing thy self and comforting thy self or daubing up thy conscience thy self If thou dost so thou dost not wait upon God to do it If thou dost it thy self and snatchest at comfort thy self before he do give it then thou dost not wait till he give it Suppose a man hath done thee an injurie the Lord he will right thee if thou wilt wait but if thou go and recompense evil for evil and right thy self thou dost not wait upon God as Solomon adviseth Prov. 20.22 Say not thou I will recompense evil but wait on the Lord and he will save thee Mark thou must not save thy self thine own credit c. by revenging but wait on God for all So here if thy conscience be troubled thou must wait
upon God to comfort it If thou goest and daubest up the matter thy self and criest Peace peace to thy self thou dost not wait upon God Thus I have answered the last question How if a man have a burdened and troubled conscience what must such a man do to be freed from it And hitherto we have spoken of the two last adjuncts of conscience a Quiet conscience and an Unquiet conscience What they be and How they differ and we have resolved and answered the questions and difficulties about them Conscience beareth witnesse of our persons COncerning the witnesse of conscience I told you that conscience beareth witnesse of two things 1. It beareth witnesse of our actions 2. It beareth witnesse of our persons The former hath been declared unto you at large I come now to the latter Conscience beareth witnesse also of our persons whether we be good or evil whether in Christ or in sinne And here I will shew you foure things 1. That every mans conscience may inform him what state he is in whether of salvation or damnation whether of grace or of nature 2. How conscience doth it 3. When conscience doth it 4. How it cometh to passe then that so many thousands mistake and are ignorant and deluded about their estates I. For the first That every mans conscience may inform him what estate he is in 1. Everie mans conscience may inform him in what state he is whether good or bad I speak especially of such as live under the light of the Gospel of Christ There are two rules the one is Gods word which pointeth out both estates and the other is every mans conscience which is privy to the frame and standing of every mans own heart and which of these estates his estate is conscience is privy â—o this I will instance in some sorts of men 1. The Jews who contented â—hemselves with formality they sacrificed they offered they payed their tithes they did that which Moses commanded them for the letter of it now ye shall see their conscience could tell them that they were not perfect nor upright with God All their duties and formalities and gifts and sacrifices could not make them that did the service perfect as perteining to the conscience Heb. 9.9 Mark Their consciences could say they were not upright for all this As they were not upright so their consciences could tell them they were not upright 2. Another instance we have in the Scribes and Pharisees When they would have condemned the woman taken in adultery their own conscience was privy that they were sinners themselves John 18.9 So also it is with a child of God His conscience is able to inform him that he is a child of God and that he doth truly serve God 2. Tim. 1.3 I thank God saith Paul whom I serve with a pure conscience His conscience told him he was a true servant of God and that he was Gods whose I am saith he So Davids conscience I am thine save me for I have sought thy commandments So the church My beloved is mine and I am his Ye see then how conscience can inform and tell us what estate we are in whether we be godly or carnall whether our conversation be in heaven or on earth whether we be in Christ or out of him The spirit of man knoweth what is in him It is easie to know what our great thoughts of heart are upon what our greatest purposes and projects and studies be whether about God or the world the spirit of a man must needs know it And therefore every man may draw out from conscience a â—rue conclusion how it is with him The â—easons are these 1. The first is taken from the nature â—f conscience The nature of consciâ—nce is such that it must needs be able â—o know what is with a man Now his welldoings or his illdoings are with â—im he was with himself when he did â—hem When thou art proud or impaâ—ient or carelesse in any duty thou art with thy self when thou art so All thy illdoings are with thee and therefore thy conscience must needs know what thou art Isai 59.12 Our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them Take a curser and as Solomon saith Thine own heart knoweth that thou hast used to curse others Eccles 7.22 So it is with a godly soul Thine obedience is with thee and thy self-deniall is with thee and thy care to walk before God all is with thee and therefore thou must needs know it This is the nature of conscience It is privy to what is with one 2. The second reason is taken from the equity of Gods judgements on the wicked The Lord he will judge none to hell but his conscience shall confesse he was one that walked in the way to hell and death Ye may reade it in the man that had not on the wedding-garment When Christ did charge him with his not having on a wedding-garment and did condemn him to utter darknesse the text saith Matth. 22.12 he was speechlesse that is his conscience confessed that Christs judgement was just I have not on a wedding-garment saith his conscience and it is my fault that I have none and I am rightly condemned Thus his conscience did know it otherwise he could not have been speechlesse in his own defense As Festus told Agrippa that he answered the Priests Acts 25.16 It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliver any man to dye before that he who is accused have his accusers face to face and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him So may I say that the great Judge of quick and dead will not judge any man to hell but he will have his accusers face to face and if he can answer for himself he may Now if conscience be not privy to what estate soever a wicked man is in his conscience could never accuse him face to face at the last day nor justifie the Lord Jesus and make the sinner stand speechlesse before God He might answer Lord I do not know any such thing as is laid to my charge I am not convinced that the case is thus and thus with me that I am in such an estate as I am accused of No wicked man shall be able to say thus Therefore conscience can inform a man in what estate he is 3. The third reason is taken from the Lords manner of judging the godly He will judge them and absolve them secundùm allegata probata as we say according to the word and their own consciences Ye may see the true form of judgement which the Lord will go by Matth 25. Where the Lord convinceth the whole world who were righteous and who not who to be judged to punishment and who to life for ever at last he concludeth The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall As if he had said Your consciences
can say ye are wicked ye did not feed nor clothe nor visit me Go your wayes to hell So for the righteous Your consciences can say ye are righteous Go ye to heaven Thus the Lord will do Now this could not be if conscience could not inform every one that is godly that he is so If conscience could not witnesse what estate they are in this could not be Thus ye see the truth of the first thing II. The second thing that I promised to shew you is How conscience doth this 2. How conscience doth this Ye have heard that it is able to inform every one what estate he is in before God Now it followeth to consider how conscience doth it This it doth by comparing the word of God with our hearts and our hearts with the word As for example Psal 119.6 They who have respect to all Gods commandments shall never be ashamed saith the word But saith conscience I desire to know all my dutie to God and man and to perform all that I know and therefore I shall not be ashamed Prov. 11.18 To him that soweth righteousnesse shall be a sure reward saith the word But saith conscience I plough up my nature and all the fallow-ground of my heart and I sow righteousnesse and therefore to me shall be a sure reward So To be spiritually minded is life and peace saith the word But saith conscience I am spiritually minded my mind is set upon things that are spirituall therefore I have life and peace So conscience also judgeth of the state of sinne Rom. 8.6 Those that live after the flesh shall die saith the word But saith conscience my life is led after the flesh and the lusts of it therefore I shall die Rom. 8.13 He that believeth not is condemned already saith the word But saith conscience I do not believe therefore I am in the state of condemnation The word saith John 3.18 A good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree bringeth forth corrupt fruit But saith conscience My works and my courses are corrupt and naught therefore so is my heart Thus ye see that conscience doth it by reasoning And this conscience can very well do 1. Because conscience hath a very good judgement It is a very wise and judicious facultie in the soul of man Some make it an act of judgement We do not take it so It is not an act of judgement but it is a reflexive facultie of the soul having a very good judgement Whether it be right to obey you rather then God judge ye saith Peter Acts 4.19 appealing to their own consciences to judge in the point So that conscience is a facultie of a good judgement Now if it be judicious it must needs be able to reason and to argue about our estates and find out whether they be good or no. It is the judgement of man that is able to argue and able to hold an argument We thus judge saith the Apostle that if one died for all then are all dead 2. Cor. 5.14 Mark His proposition he would prove was That all the believers in Christ are dead to themselves and alive unto God Now ye may see how his judgement maketh here an argument If Christ died for them all then they are all dead but Christ died for them all therefore they are all dead Judgement is able to make arguments and therefore if conscience be a reflexive facultie that hath a very good judgement it must needs be able to frame arguments and so make out what our estates are 2. Because there is naturall logick in every mans conscience It can frame syllogismes thus As many as be led by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God saith the word But saith a godly mans conscience I am led by Gods spirit and I am carefull to follow the leading of Gods holy spirit therefore I am one of Gods sonnes And so on the other side Ye will say How can a countrey-mans conscience make syllogismes It is onely for scholars and such as have studied logick in the schools to make syllogismes I answer It is true Artificiall logick is onely among scholars But there is naturall logick in conscience which doth not stand upon forms The godly people at Rome were never brought up at Universitie yet the Apostle telleth them they had logick enough to argue themselves to be dead unto sinne and alive unto God through Christ Rom. 6.11 Likewise also saith he reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exercise so much logick in your selves Like good logicians prove your selves to be dead unto sinne and alive to God So that ye see there is naturall logick in conscience and therefore conscience is able to frame arguments about our estate and to inform us what it is 3. When conscience doth this III. The third thing I propounded to consider is When conscience doth â—his This is a very necessarie point â—nd indeed so they are all but this â—ore especially I have shewed that â—onscience is able to inform us what â—state we are in whether of grace or â—ature but when doth it perform this â— answer I need not so much speak of â—he godly because they do mark â—onscience But let me speak of such â—s are foolish disobedient serving diâ—ers lusts who never had yet the washâ—ng of regeneration nor the renewing â—f the holy Ghost I answer about â—hem 1. Their conscience must needs â—ave a time when to do it I do rememâ—er my faults this day saith Pharaohs â—utler Gen. 41.9 His conscience did â—nform him and there was a time when â—is conscience did inform him 2. Conâ—cience would choose a time by it self â— would inform a wicked man solemnâ—y and punctually of his rotten and curâ—ed estate he is in I say it would have â— solemn time by it self for this if it â—ould have it but a wicked man taketh â—n order with his conscience that it â—hall not tell him solemnly how it is with him neither will he find a time tâ— suffer it As it was with Felix Wheâ— his conscience began to grumble against him when Paul had told him â— righteousnesse and of judgement hâ— trembled his conscience began to stirre and would then have solemnly deaâ— with him indeed but he shuffled it oâ— and would not find time Acts 24.25 Go thy way â— this time saith he to Paul I will heaâ— thee at a more convenient time And â— he said to his conscience too Conscience would take a solemn and set timâ— to inform men what their estates anâ— but men will not suffer them anâ— therefore conscience is fain to takâ— such sudden times as it can get Yâ— will ask What times be they I answer First when conscience interlineth Conscience interlineth As for example in the heaâ—ing of the word While men are hearing the word it
may be the preacheâ— preacheth of holinesse and a wickeâ— man heareth it But I have it not saitâ— his conscience Mark his consciencâ— interlineth It may be the preacher iâ— preaching how desperately carelessâ— men are of their souls how they look â— every thing more then to them â—onscience interlineth This is my â—se It may be he is preaching against â—â—ulterie This sinne I have comâ—itted saith a guiltie conscience or â—gainst rushing upon Gods ordinances â—ithout preparation This is my constant â—urse saith an evil mans conscience â— may be the preacher is preaching of â—onversion and becoming a new creaâ—â—re in Christ This I am yet to seek in â—ith conscience Thus conscience inâ—erlineth Though the man heareth on â—â—d it may be taketh little to heart yet â—onscience interlineth a sudden information of his wretched estate Like a 〈◊〉 bird that flieth by or like a swiftâ—ot arrow that is presently out of â—â—ght so it may be a man taketh very â—ttle notice of it Acts 24.25 Like the forenamed â—elix as Paul was preaching of righâ—eousnesse and temperance I have it not â—ith his conscience and of judgement â—o come What shall I do then saith his â—onscience Thus conscience interliâ—ed and made him tremble on a sudden like a sudden shivering of a coâ— or a sudden startle of a man affrighteâ— and away it was gone quickly I bâ—seech you observe your own bosome Do ye not feel this now and then at sermon when ye heare it do not yoâ— consciences interline our sermons aâ— put in parentheses now and theâ— When ye heare such and such a sinâ— reproved condemned And this is â— sinne saith conscience when ye heaâ— these and these graces commended Anâ— I never had these saith conscience wheâ— ye heare these and these marks of a caâ—nall estate And these or some of these aâ— in me saith conscience do not you consciences interline in this manner As Paul was speaking to the ship-meâ— concerning God his conscience diâ— sweetly interline thus Acts 27.23 There stood by meâ— this night an Angel of God whose I am saith his conscience And as he was writing to the Romanes Rom 1.9 God is my witnesse saith he whom I serve in my spirit But do not your consciences interline otherwise with you If they do I beseech you consider it Your consciences do then truly inform you of your â—â—ten estates listen to them Secondly when conscience falleth a â—oking Conscience choketh As for example in prayer wicked man prayeth But I do not â—â—y right saith his conscience I humbly â—eech thee O Lord Nay but I do not â—eech humbly saith his conscience I â—ire to be sanctified and purged from my â—nes Nay but I do not hunger after any â—h thing saith conscience I do not conâ—e â—e my sins right nor beg for grace right 〈◊〉 your consciences choke you thus â—ow your consciences inform you of â—ur estates Peradventure ye hardly â—rceive this choking at all It is done a moment and it presently ceaseth â—cause ye are not willing to heare it â—d therefore it may be conscience doth by sudden flashes Num. 12.4 It is said the Lord â—â—ke suddenly to Moses so often consciâ—â—ce speaketh suddenly to men a word â—d away As David saith of the wicâ—d God shall shoot an arrow at them and â—ey shall be wounded on a sudden So conâ—ience shooteth a quick arrow and it â—oundeth men in the twinkling of an eye and it is gone Lord have mâ—â— upon us said one But I should not saâ— vainly and in ordinary talk saith conscâ—ence I do not hate this man for his hoâ—â—nesse and strictnesse But you do saiâ— conscience And so when men are dâ—fending evil by arguments But this false saith conscience Thus conscienâ— choketh on a sudden and is gone confesse generally the men of the worâ— mark not these things They are sucâ— sudden sparklings of conscience thâ— men for the most part do not heâ— them But these are Gods witnesseâ— and men shall know one day they we truly informed of their estates by theâ— instantaneous Items of conscience Thirdly when conscience shooter like a stitch in a mans side As for example Sometimes when men are aboâ— their callings and their worldly businesse then cometh conscience like â— sudden stitch in ones side and giveth them a twitch O how wordly am I saith conscience Shall I never get this worldly-mindednesse cured Many times conscience speaketh while men are working or playing or eating or buying or â—ling Fourthly so likewise when consciâ—ce commenteth upon the judgements 〈◊〉 God Let an adulterer fall sick Yea â—is is for mine adulterie saith consciâ—ce Let a company-keeper be in â—ant of outward things Yea this is my â—unkennesse saith conscience Jer. 4.18 This is â—y wickednesse my way my doings which â—ve procured me these things this ague â—is poverty this shame this discomfort â—hus I have shewed you how consciâ—nce doth inform the wicked of their â—retched estate and when it doth it 〈◊〉 remaineth now that I speak someâ—hing of the fourth point IV. How cometh it to passe then â—hat so many thousands mistake and â—re ignorant and deluded about their eâ—tates 4. Why many are deluded about their estate The reason of this doubt is this Seeing conscience is able to inform eâ—ery one what his estate is whether it be blessed or cursed and seeing also â—hat conscience doth it and doth it by â—rgument and hath its time when it doth it a man now would wonder that any should be ignorant of his estaâ—â— when his own conscience doth tell hiâ— how it is with him For answer I wilâ— explain unto you two things 1. Thâ— reasons why men are mistaken 2. Thâ— reasons why they are mistaken thougâ— conscience inform them First They build upon false ground which are not in Gods word Somâ— are so foolish that they build upon onward things as health peace prosperitie successe and the like They prosper and all things go well with them and therefore sure God is at peacâ— with them This is not so but they think so though Some again builâ— upon grounds which men of corrupâ— minds do give them or which they take from the common opinion oâ— most thinking that to be faith and repentance which the most take so to be or which a teacher fit for their palaâ—â— taketh so to be On the contrarie side weak Christians oftentimes mistake themselves by judging their estates to be bad because God letteth them be poor and mean and comfortlesse in the world Therefore they conclude God is angrie with them or that they are not that which they seem to themselves to be because they are so crossed in all outward things This is the first reason of errour in this kind Reas 2 2. A second reason is the not-right understanding of Gods word As when men judge of themselves by such places of Scripture as were not intended to be rules and to be of use to such ends as they apply them as
other text is 1. Pet. 3.21 The answer of 〈◊〉 good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Where the Apostle first giveth this title to a renewed conscience to be called a good conscience Secondly he nameth the cause that maketh it to be good the power of Christs resurrection When the resurrection of Christ Jesus is powerfulâ— upon us then conscience becometh good 5. The fifth is quietnesse By nature â—othing is so fierce and violent if it be â—nce awaked as conscience is O it is â—nspeakably furious Thus is consciâ—nce by nature and therefore it can neâ—er be good untill we get it appeased with the assurance of the pardon of our â—innes and so true peace and comfort â—stablished in it This is the reason why â—he Scripture joyneth a good consciâ—nce and faith so often together as â— Tim. 3.9 Holding the mysterie of faith â—n a pure conscience It cannot be a pure or good conscience if faith be not held â—n it As long as the conscience is not â—nderpropped by faith the conscience must needs be in a wildernesse Perhaps my sinnes are imputed unto me perhaps â—hey are pardoned Perhaps they are coverâ—d perhaps not As long as the conscience lieth under these uncertainties it cannot be firm and foundly good indeed therefore we must labour for assurance of pardon by faith Thus much of a good renewed conscience that is perfectly and soundly renewed An infirm conscience II. Secondly There is a good conscience renewed but not soundly renewed very much as yet defective and imperfect The former conscience is called conscientia firma a firm conscience This is called conscientia infirma an infirm conscience Rom. 15.1 We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak This infirm conscience is a good conscience too and renewed but cumbred with sundry imperfections which in processe of time by growth in grace are for the most part conquered in the godly True faith is required unto this For the Apostle calleth such an one a brother in Christ one that hath this infirm conscience Rom. 14.21 It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth And we must not set such an one at nought Tush what care I for him I know I may lawfully do thus and this is my Christian liberty and shall I lose it for him because of his conscience Nay saith the Apostle Rom. 14.10 Why dost thou set at nought thy brother Mark The Apostle counteth such an one a Christian brother and not to be set at nought and therefore this is a good conscience too differing as much as white from black from such consciences as are weak through superstition of mind and through pride of heart because they will not be otherwise or through affected ignorance because they love not to be better informed These weak consciences are wicked I speak not of these I speak of a good conscience a conscience renewed but renewed imperfectly having yet sundry defects and imperfections The imperfections of it are 1. Imperfection of knowledge It doth not yet soundly and clearly understand what is lawfull and what is pure and what is by Christian liberty indifferent Paul saith Rom. 14.14 I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean He speaketh of things that are indifferent The Apostle had knowledge but there were others who did not know this O I may not eat this meat I may not play at bowls or use any other recreation I should sinne if I should c. This is one weaknesse in this kind of conscience weaknesse of knowledge 2. The second imperfection is to be grieved where it needeth not be grieved As when it seeth other do that which it self through mistake doth judge to be evil it is apt to be grieved and troubled to see it Rom. 14.15 If thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably It may be thou thinkest it lawfull to eat such meat but he thinketh otherwise and so is grieved to see thee eat This is another imperfection in this conscience to be grieved and offended without just cause 3. A third imperfection is in judgement It is apt to judge and condemn another mans liberty 1. Cor. 10.29 Why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience He speaketh of a weak conscience It is apt to be judging and condemning my liberty saith he but why so This is a fault and an imperfection indeed O such an one sinneth he doeth so and so yet it may be the thing is not unlawfull but a weak conscience is apt so to judge it and to condemn him that doeth it Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth Rom. 14.3 4. A fourth imperfection is this A weak conscience is apt to be misled So the Apostle intimateth Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block unto them that are weak for if any man see thee who hast knowledge sit at meat in the idoles temple shall not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to idoles and through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died 1. Cor. 8.9 10 11. Where ye see that weak consciences are apt to be misled The reason is this Because when they see others whom they know to be more learned and judicious then themselves to do so and so that may soon tempt them to do it though their conscience be against it Vse 1 The first use is this If any have weak consciences let them labour to strengthen them Ye see what imperfections are in a weak conscience how apt it is to be offended and to judge other mens liberty how prone to misleading therefore let every good soul labour to be strengthened Vse 2 The second use is this Those that be strong must be carefull that they offend not the weak Though they do believe such and such Christian liberties they have yet if they know the use of them will offend their weak brother they should be carefull to abstein Rom. 14.13 Let no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Vse 3 Thirdly if it be such a sinne to sinne against the conscience of the weak then what a sinne is it to sinne against the conscience of all that are godly whether weak ones or strong ones Ye who walk after the flesh and can have disorders in your families and vanity in your mouths and apparent corruptions in your lives Ye who can drink and be drunken and keep company and prophane the Lords dayes ye offend the consciences of all that are godly it is a grief to their souls to see it Let me tell you It is a sinne to be wicked
of conscience are either primarie supreme or secondarie and relative 1. The primarie and supreme bond of conscience is onely Gods word and law that onely is the supreme bond of conscience There is one law-giver Jam. 4.12 who is able to save or to destroy who art thou that judgest another that is There is but one supreme law-giver to bind the consciences of men and that is God And the reason is given Because it is God onely who is able to save and to destroy As if he had said God onely hath power over life and death either to save a man for ever or destroy a man for ever and to judge a man according to all that he hath done and therefore he onely can make laws to bind the consciences of men 2. Now the secondarie or relative bond of conscience is when others who have authoritie from God bind conscience to this or that I call this a relative bond because it is onely in relation to the authoritie of God For though men cannot challenge any doings or omissions contrarie to their law to be sinnes yet if they have authoritie from God to command any thing then they become beams and parts of Gods law and do by vertue of that bind a mans conscience This relative bond of conscience is twofold First other men may bind our consciences as magistrates and masters and parents who though they cannot bind conscience as they are men yet when they have authoritie from God their commands have Gods seals upon them and do bind I say in relation to Gods law which biddeth us obey them Rom. 13.5 Ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake The Apostle there speaketh of Magistrates and he telleth us that their laws bind our consciences in relation to Gods and therefore we must be subject unto them for conscience sake Thus others may bind our consciences Secondly we our selves may bind our own consciences and that is by vows which we make unto God or by our promises which we lawfully make unto men The vows which we freely make unto God these bind conscience to keep them Numb 30.4 the vow of a woman is called the bond wherewith she hath bound her soul Mark she bindeth her soul and her conscience with it So the promises which we lawfully make unto men these also bind conscience For though before we promise it was in our own power yet when we have promised we have bound our own consciences to the performance because there is Gods seal upon it Gods law commandeth us to be true of our words These are relative bonds bonds onely in relation to Gods law Gods law is still the supreme bond of conscience I will handle that first The law of God the prime bond of conscience I. The law of God whereby he willeth and commandeth and forbiddeth this or that in his word this is the main bond of conscience When this bindeth it nothing else can loose it and contrary if this loose it nothing else can bind it It so bindeth conscience as the observing or violating of it is that which maketh conscience clear or guilty before God This is it which maketh a man a debtour Rom. 1.14 I am a debtour saith Paul both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians that is I am bound in conscience by Gods command to preach the Gospel unto both This is it that denominateth a man to be bound Acts 20.22 I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem that is I knowing it to be Gods will am bound in conscience to go This is that which layeth a necessity upon a man A necessity is laid upon me to preach 1. Cor. 9.16 i. I am bound in conscience by Gods word so to do This is that which layeth a kind of enforcement upon men Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard that is If we should not our consciences would flie in our faces We are bound by Gods will to do so and our consciences lay a charge upon us that we cannot go against it The onely will and word of almighty God is that which supremely bindeth conscience 1. Because God onely knoweth the heart he seeth our thoughts Reasons and he onely can reach to the secrets of our spirits and therefore he onely can bind our conscience For who else can tell whether we make conscience of a thing yea or no perhaps we do perhaps we do not Nor man nor angel can tell certainly but God knoweth certainly â—nd he onely and therefore he onely â—an bind our consciences When the Lord doth command or forbid the conscience is privy that God seeth it and herefore now it is bound The word of God is quick and powerfull Heb. 4.12 it pierceth even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart This bindeth a mans thoughts and intentions he cannot be free in these things and the reason is given by the Apostle vers 13. All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do As if he had said We are conscious of Gods all-seeing power he seeth our hearts and our thoughts and all that is in us and therefore his word doth bind us yea it bindeth all our secrets we cannot think a vain thought but our conscience will crie guiltie before God because our conscience doth know that God knoweth all Besides the conscience cannot fear any law but onely Gods law Ye know when conscience is once in a doubt it is fearfull and beginneth to ask questions with it self May I do this or may I not do it 1. Cor. 10.27 asking no questions for conscience sake The conscience when it doubteth useth to ask questions Now this supposeth the lawgiver to be able to see it otherwise the conscience would not be thus afraid if it were onely the commandment of a creature that could not search the heart So that here ye see one reason why Gods law is the supreme bond of conscience Because no eye can see it but Gods 2. Because God onely hath power over conscience It is his commandment onely that maketh any thing sinne or not sinne unto us Augustine defineth sinne to be A thought or word or deed or lust against the commandment of God Psal 51.4 Against thee against thee onely have I sinned saith David He saith he had sinned onely against God Why you will say he sinned also against man Did not he commit adulterie that was a sin against Bathsheba and murder that was a sin against Vriah True he sinned against man relatively in relation to the commandment which saith Thou shalt not injure thy neighbour but primarily and principally the sinne was against God Conscience is like the kings servant whom none can arrest or attach without leave from the king so no man can bind conscience without leave had from
God for conscience is onely subject to his power he onely hath power over conscience 3. Because conscience is Gods book Now no creature can adde to Gods book or diminish from it Ye may remember that dreadfull anathema at the end of Gods book Rev. 22.18 19. If any man shall adde to this book God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this book And if any man shall diminish from this book God shall take away his part out of the book of life Now conscience is also Gods book wherein his law is written Nay conscience is called Gods law For it is said Rom. 2.14 that when the Gentiles which have not the law do the things conteined in the law they having not the law are a law unto themselves that is Their conscience is Gods law unto them Like as the Bible conteineth Gods law for us Christians so did their consciences contein the law of God to them yea to us Christians much rather For we are not to let Gods law be written onely in our Bibles but we must get it written in our consciences our consciences are to be Gods books wherein his laws are to be written And therefore if it be a sinne to adde a new law in the materiall book to bind men then it must needs be a sinne for any creature to put a new law into conscience which is the spirituall book of God It is God onely who can write laws in this book his book is above all the laws in the world and none but God can put in and put out and therefore none but he can bind conscience I speak still of this absolute supreme bond of conscience For Magistrates may bind relatively but not as they are their laws but by the law of God before made Thus ye see the necessity of this truth That Gods law is the absolute and supreme bond of conscience Vses Vse 1 1. This serveth to direct Ministers how to convince the consciences of their people If Ministers desire to work upon their hearers they must speak to the conscience they must shew them Gods authority that it is Gods will and Gods command Tell conscience never so much that we should do thus or thus upon other grounds and inducements it starteth not at that except it be convinced by the word of God that it is Gods will the commandment of the great God of heaven the God of the spirits of all flesh who will look for our obedience This maketh conscience to startle this affecteth it and bindeth it St Paul when he said that he approved himself and his preaching to mens consciences 2. Cor. 4.2 what followeth If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish c. As if he had said This maketh all the world to startle except they be reprobates and men delivered over to Satan It is easie to see what ministerie affecteth most and doeth the most good in the hearts of the people namely that which bringeth the clearest voice of Gods Spirit calling to obedience and binding the conscience They can heare with ease and great pleasure the sermons of those whose doctrines are stuffed with humane discourses Learning and policie never pierce conscience Nay let carnall preachers preach never so much against peoples sinnes they can make a sport of it though they heare their sinnes with humane learning declaimed against When the preacher doth not clearly preach the Lords voice though he rip up sinne yet if it be not in the demonstration of the Spirit of God and shewing his clear authority the heart will not be affected Conscience knoweth when it is bound and when it is but dallied and jested with And therefore if Ministers desire to have their ministerie work upon the hearts of their people they must shew them Gods authority and confirm it by his word and let them see that it is the commandment of the Lord that which will one day judge them Let him know 1. Cor. 14.37 saith Paul that the things that I write are the commandments of the Lord. It is the Lord of heaven and earth that biddeth thee yield and commandeth thee to give over thy base lusts It is he in whose hands thy breath is thou hadst best be obedient I tell thee thy conscience observeth it and if thou wilt not obey it will rore like the roring of the sea one day against thee and sting thee like a scorpion The things that thou hearest know thou that they are the commandments of God and if thou disobey thou dost disobey not men but God Vse 2 2. Is it so that the word of God onely is the supreme bond of conscience Then this teacheth us to have an eye to Gods word in that which we do if we would satisfie conscience I say have an eye to Gods word not onely to do that which it may be is in Gods word conscience counteth that to be nothing but to have an eye to Gods word Conscience will not be satisfied with any obedience that we do if we have not an eye to Gods word Whatever we have an eye to besides conscience knoweth it is nothing if in all we have not an eye to the commandment of God Though we do obey it conscience looketh upon it as if we did not obey it It is onely Gods commandment and authority that bindeth conscience and therefore nothing satisfieth conscience unlesse we have an eye unto that If we do not aim at Gods will in doing what we do conscience counteth our obedience as no obedience at all As for example Ye that are husbands ye love your wives but is it because God commandeth it It may be ye love them because they love you or because your affections are to them Alas this is nothing Pagans and reprobates can do so But do ye aim at the doing of Gods will who commandeth you O say you The Lord doth command me and I do it What of that Do ye look at his commandment when ye do it If not be humbled and know ye must get grace to do so or ye are not obedient to God neither will conscience set it down for obedience Ye that are servants ye serve your masters but do ye aim at Gods will thus O the Lord hath commanded me to be faithfull and painfull in my service Doth your soul look to this It may be ye serve them because they are kind and because they pay you your wages and the like This is nothing to conscience conscience looketh at the commandment of God and if your souls do not aim at the commandment of God it wil not satisfie conscience Ye that are neighbours it may be ye love one another and be friends one with another but doth your soul look at Gods commandment is it because God hath commanded us to love one another People seldome aim at God in these cases They are friends with their neighbours why Their neighbours are friends with them But they
do not trouble their thoughts to aim at Gods commandment in it Let me tell you Conscience will not count this obedience For conscience feeleth no bond but Gods word and if ye do not look at that it is no obedience with conscience conscience will never acquit you or absolve you for this it accounteth of this obedience as no obedience at all See 1. Cor. 10.25 and so forward There the Apostle handling that question of conscience at last concludeth Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God vers 31. Let your hearts look at that and aim at that in whatsoever ye do still look at God all is lost with conscience else Though ye eat never so soberly and drink never so moderately pray never so duly conscience counteth it all nothing if ye do not look at God It is God onely his word that doth bind it and it will never give a discharge except your hearts look at him Vse 3 3. This serveth to confute our Antinomists such as say the law of God bindeth not the conscience of the regenerate Ye see here that the law of God bindeth the conscience and therefore if the regenerate have any conscience at all as certainly they have the best conscience of all men then it must needs bind their conscience From what Christians are freed We confesse the conscience of the regenerate is freed from many things by Christ First it is freed from the yoke and bondage of the ceremoniall law Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled with the yoke of bondage Everie mans conscience is freed from that yoke of the ceremoniall law because it ended in Christ Secondly the conscience of the regenerate is freed from seeking justification by the deeds of the law Indeed the first covenant was by the works of the law He that doeth them shall live in them But the second covenant speaketh better things He that believeth shall be saved It is true if God had not sent his Sonne we must have sought justification by the works of the law Though it were impossible to find it by reason of our sinnes yet conscience was bound that way But now that Christ Jesus hath sealed up a new covenant in his own bloud conscience is freed from that former Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law For though justifying faith never be without the sincere doing of the law yet the deeds of the law have no influence into justification Conscience is freed from seeking justification thereby Thirdly the conscience of the regenerate is freed from the rigour of the law They are bound in conscience to use the law as a rule of their life and in sinceritie to obey it but are not bound by the gospel to the rigour of it that they are freed from Rom. 6.14 and so they are not under the law but under grace I grant that all carnall people who are yet out of Christ do all lie under the rigour of the law and as long as they submit not to Jesus Christ nor get into him they are bound in conscience to keep it though they cannot They cannot sinne in one tittle but conscience will condemne them before God They shall be condemned for every vain thought for every idle word for every the least sinne for every the least lust for any the least omission of good They lie under the rigour of the law and they are bound in conscience to keep it and they shall be countable for every transgression because they are under the law But the conscience of the regenerate is free from this rigour because they are under grace and therefore they are delivered from the law Rom. 7.6 The Lord hath delivered them by the body of Christ and therefore they are not bound by the gospel to all that obedience that the law in rigour requireth Fourthly the conscience of the regenerate is freed from the curse of the morall law For though the law doth condemn yet their conscience needeth not fear it because they are in Christ There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Indeed those that are not regenerate not ingraffed into Christ they are still in the mouth of the gunshot the law doth condemn them and they have no shelter and their conscience is bound by it and they shall find one day that by it their conscience will condemne them to hell It may be now for the present their conscience is quiet and they choke it and so it letteth them alone yet they are condemned in conscience and one day they shall find it But the regenerate are by Christ freed in conscience from all this condemnation Thus farre we grant But the Antinomists Antinomists and I know not what Marcionites would have more They cannot abide to heare that a regenerate person is bound to any sincere obedience to Gods law as the rule of their life They crie out against the morall law as once the Babylonians did against Jerusalem Down with it down with it even to the ground O ye do not preach Christ if ye talk of the law Beloved these are drunken opinions fitter to be preached among drunkards and Epicures and monsters then among the peculiar ones of God The law of God doth bind the conscience of all the people of God so that they are bound to make it a rule of life Nay the Scripture calleth it Christs bond whereby he bindeth his people to him Psal 2.1 2 3. The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Let us break their bonds and cast away their cords from us Tush we will not be tied by his laws nor be so precisely strait-laced with such commandments as these Here the laws of the Lord are called bonds and cords Gods people are bound to him by them But the wicked they stand out and refuse to be bound Now if the law be called a bond I pray what bond is it but of conscience It is not a bond like a prisoners fetters to be put about their legs This is a spirituall bond that bindeth the conscience But let me prove it to you by arguments There be sundrie arguments to prove it Arguments That Gods law bindeth the conscience of the regenerate Arg. 1 First That which hath power to say to the conscience of the regenerate This is thy dutie and this must be done that bindeth the conscience But the law of God hath power to say thus to the conscience This is your dutie Who can tell better then Christ When ye have done all these things that are commanded you Luke 17.10 say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to do Mark He speaketh
convinced thee of thy sinnes and made thy conscience say I am a sinner and am guiltie before God I tell thee then Thy conscience is bound and all the world cannot loose it But hast thou been humbled and emptied of thy self and doth the word pronounce pardon of thy sinnes in Christs name that thy conscience can say The Lord speaketh peace to my soul I tell thee Thou art loosed and nor hell nor devil nor sinne nor flesh nor any thing can bind thee Ye may see the power of Gods word in that speech of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven Matth. 18.18 That is My word which ye preach is of that nature that if that loose your conscience it is loosed indeed and nothing can bind it if that do bind it it is bound soundly indeed and nothing can loose it O this is a terrour to the wicked Doth the word of God say Prov. 29.1 He that hardneth his neck being often rebuked shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured O fear and tremble ye that harden your necks against the reproofs of the Almightie his word bindeth over your consciences to Christs barre Doth the word say Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge If thou beest such an one thy conscience is bound with this word and it will apply it to the soul before the tribunal-seat of Christ Doth the word crie out against any of thy courses thy conscience is bound as with chains and it is not all thy vain hopes and excuses can loose thee Again this is comfort to the godly Gods word is the supreme binder of conscience O ye blessed of the Lord the word of God tieth such a fast knot to your comforts that all hell cannot open it with their teeth The word of the Lord Jesus is with your who hath the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Yea but sayest thou My sinnes are against me What then mark what the word saith We have an Advocate with the Father Thy conscience is bound to believe that Yea but I have a very naughtie heart and I cannot tell what to do with it Mark what the word saith Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved This bindeth thy conscience But I offend dayly Mark still what the word saith Christ bringeth in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 If thou beest unworthy to day there is righteousnesse for thee to day if unworthy to morrow there is righteousnesse for thee to morrow if unworthy for ever there is righteousnesse for thee for ever This is Gods word and thy portion this bindeth thy conscience to lay hold on it But I have abundantly sinned What saith Christs word I will abundantly pardon O what comfort is this to every poore soul which the Lord Jesus hath humbled His word is the supreme binder of conscience above the law above justice above threatnings above all the world besides His promising word is the supreme binder of thy conscience if thou beest one of Christs And therefore fear not onely believe and be thankfull and give glory to God This is the childrens bread no stranger can intermeddle with it The secondary bond of conscience YE have heard that the bonds of conscience are of two sorts First there is a supreme bond of conscience and that is Gods word of which I have already spoken Secondly there is a relative bond of conscience which bindeth conscience indeed but it is onely in relation to Gods word because Gods word putteth authority upon it And this latter is also of two sorts 1. Others may bind conscience 2. We our selves may bind our own consciences I. Others may bind our consciences I. Others may bind our consciences namely when they have authority conferred upon them from God so their laws and commands receive vigour and force from Gods laws Thus the laws and commands of Magistrates bind the conscience of People of Parents bind the conscience of Children of Masters bind the conscience of Servants For though they do not bind conscience as they are the commandments of men yet having Gods seal and authority upon them they do I will set down some conclusions whereby ye may know how farre the laws and commandments of others bind or not bind conscience 1. Conclusion 1. Magistrates have power to command us Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 That chapter doth most clearly prove this conclusion unto us Out of the first part of the chapter we learn 1. That Magistrates have power and authority to make laws and to establish orders among men and therefore they are called powers 2. We learn that these laws of Magistrates receive strength and force from the law of God For the powers that be are ordained of God saith the text 3. Those laws made by the Magistrate and confirmed by God have power to bind conscience vers 5. Wherefore we must be subject not onely because of wrath but also for conscience sake And the violating of them is sinne When their authority is confirmed by God we cannot resist them but we resist the ordinance of God saith the Apostle nay we may pull condemnation upon us if we do They that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation vers 2. So that this first conclusion telleth us what laws of men are to be obeyed viz. 1. Such as do virtually flow from Gods word though not expressely commanded in it 2. Such as are good and wholesome and profitable for the common-wealth These though they are not particularly commanded in Gods word yet are they by virtue of it injoyned and therefore to neglect them and be disobedient unto them is to neglect and be disobedient to God Again so farre onely are they to be obeyed so farre onely I say as they virtually do flow from Gods word for so farre onely they receive force from Gods law This is the first conclusion 2. Conclusion 2. The commandments of Magistrates and those that are in authoritie lose their power of binding the conscience in foure cases 1. When they command that which though in it self it be not simply and absolutely sinfull and unlawfull yet it doth put us upon a necessity of sinning As for example If a Magistrate command single life to all Ministers this thing is not in it self simply unlawfull for it is lawfull to marry and it is lawfull not to marry yet this commandment is unlawfull because it would put Ministers upon a necessity of sinning The reason is because all have not this power And therefore such a commandment as this would not bind conscience For the conscience cannot be bound to impurity or an apparent danger of impurity and therefore though the thing be not simply unlawfull yet the commandment is simply unlawfull and doth not bind conscience The Apostle maketh such a commandment to
thee what wilt thou do II. An erroneous conscience SEcondly an erroneous conscience is 2. An erroneous conscience when conscience not understanding Gods law or misapplying it doth judge amisse and direct amisse So Josephs conscience for a while was in an errour when Mary was found with child Matth. 1.19 His conscience informed him that he must either make her a publick example or put her away privily Here his conscience erred about this particular untill the Angel had better informâ—d him There is a question Quest here raiâ—ed by Divines and it is Whether we â—ught to follow conscience erring or â—o A question very necessary to be â—andled partly because of mens ignoâ—â—nce in this kind and partly because of â—â—e frequency of the case I answer â—â—us Ans 1 First we must not obey conscience â—â—ing or counselling to that which is â—â—l For our errour of conscience doth â—t make the transgression of the law 〈◊〉 be no sinne though an erroneous â—â—nscience lead us to transgresse it Because the law of God is above conscience and therefore the comâ—andment of Gods law standeth in full â—â—rce though conscience command â—â—ntrary to it Suppose a man should â—â—ink in his conscience he might not â—â—ke an oath though never so lawfully â—â—lled thereunto by the magistrate and 〈◊〉 never so necessary a case when as the â—ord of God commandeth us to swear 〈◊〉 truth in righteousnesse and in judgeâ—ent I must follow the commandment different to do or not to do which yet is not indifferent but absolutely commanded then it is alwayes a sinne not to do it but it is no sinne to do it The third proposition is this If conscience hold a thing necessarie which God hath left indifferent as if a man in conscience thought that he ought to pray foure times a day which thing yet God hath left indifferent in this he is bound to obey conscience though it erre And it is no sinne to obey conscience thus erring though it be a sinne in conscience thus to erre Vse 1 The use of this is I. to let us see what a sacred sovereigne thing a mans conscience is It is alwayes a sinne to disobey conscience whether it erre or no as it is alwayes a sinne to disobey God A man can never go against his conscience but he sinneth 1. Because conscience is our guide It is our inward and our inseparable guide we can never come by any direction but by conscience we can never let in the commandment of God but onely by conscience and therefore the Lord hath made it a very sovereigne thing 2. Because we break a commandment through the loyns of a sinne when we go against conscience Ajax light upon a beast and slew it his conscience thought verily it was a man Kill it not saith conscience it is a man he goeth against his conscience and killeth it His conscience here was in an errour yet he as truly guilty of murder before God as if he had indeed slain a man because he slew a man through the loyns of this beast His bloudy mind looked at a man and smote at a man and slew a man So when conscience is erroneous and thinketh this is a commandment of God it is not so but he thinketh it so in his conscience if he do contrary he breaketh a commandment though it be none because the errour of his conscience made it one to him Was not Herod truly guilty of the murder of Christ He thought in his conscience that Christ had been among the infants slain at Bethlehem Thus conscience is a sovereigne thing It is alwayes a sinne to go against it erre or not erre and if it be a sinne to go against one doubteth of the lawfulnesse of playing at cards and dice he is sure it is no sinne not to play but whether he may lawfully play he doubteth in this case he is bound not to play So when one doubteth whether it be a sinne not to call his familie together every day to prayer Gods ministers tell him he must or he sinneth I doubt of that saith he Do you so but you are sure it is no sinne to do it Therefore you are bound to do it because you are bound to decline the doubtfull part and take that which is certain And so of all other the like particulars Rule 2 2. When conscience doubteth on both sides which is the sinne and which not then a man ought to do that which is most void of offense As for example Say an Anabaptist amongst us doubteth whether it be a sinne in him to bring his child to church to be baptized or a sinne to refuse here his rule is That that which is most void of offense and most agreeable to brotherly unity and concord is to be taken the balance hanging otherwise even and the arguments to urge both the one or the other seeming of like weight then this must be put into the scale and resolve the doubt Rule 3 3. It is lawfull to do some things when yet our conscience doubteth of the lawfulnesse of them For we must consider there are two kinds of doubting there is a speculative doubting and there is a practicall doubting Speculative doubting is to doubt of the lawfulnesse of the thing it self to be done Practicall doubting is to doubt of the lawfulnesse of the doing of it Now this latter is not alwayes a sinne but the other is As for example If a servant be commanded of his master to attend on him on the Lords day he knoweth not what his businesse should be and perhaps doubteth it is not of such moment as to be done on that day yet he hath no reason to deny his attendance in this case though he doubt of the lawfulnesse of the thing done yet he need not doubt of the doing of it because he knoweth not what the businesse is and hath no reason whereby he is able to doubts and scruples whether he is right or no especially in matters of greatest moment It is a great misery to have our consciences blind which should be our guides and which it is a sinne to disobey This is the reason why St Paul doth so often speak I would not have you ignorant 1. Cor. 10.1 and 11.3 It is a very great misery that ones conscience should be ignorant what to do what to hold what to follow I say it is a lamentable miserie that many who have followed the directions of conscience should by it be led to death and damnation to do things contrary to Gods word What a misery was it for the Jews to have zeal and not according to knowledge c. Vse 2 II. This should teach us to use the means truly to inform conscience Without knowledge the heart is not good Prov. 29.1 that is it is most profane There be three means to get knowledge Means to get knowledge 1. Let us pray unto God that he would opeâ— our understandings that as