persons Conscience has no more reason to fear the greatest than the poorest Can the greatest man punish his Conscience for being plain with him He may indeed wound it more and more but this will in the end onely increase his own smart and anguish Prophets and Ministers have not accesse unto some nor an opportunity to tell them of their misdoings and if they have and do discharge their duty they may suffer for it John the Baptist was sent to Prison for reproving Herod and afterwards his life was taken away But though Herod was no more troubled and rebuked by John yet his own Conscience does fearlesly and impartially deal with him and therefore when he heard of the fame of Jesus he cries out John is risen from the Dead which shews that his Conscience flew in his face about him 3. Conscience accuses of high matters of such crimes the least of which deserves damnation There is nothing which Conscience does accuse of but sin and sin is the Transgression of a Law and that Law is the Law of God and this God is an infinite Majesty and therefore sin does merit an infinite punishment Though Papists call some sins venial and make but light of them yet a serious Conscience looks upon every sin as justly deserving Eternal condemnation the Apostle speaks indefinitely concerning sin without excepting any The Wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6. ult and by Death he means Eternal Death for 't is opposed unto the gift of God which is Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Among Men there are indeed some petty faults which a Malefactor is not so afraid when accused of but how pale does he look when Felony or Murther or Treason is laid to his charge alas the Gallows the Gibbet Hanging Drawing Quartering he now fears Conscience brings in an indictement against the sinner for nothing but what is damnable for every sin against the great God is so in its own Nature And if every sin makes the Soul liable to the vengeance of Eternal fire how may the sinner be amazed when all his iniquities are set in order before him 4. Conscience accuses a man to himself Luther tells us concerning a certain Cardinal that was wont to say Conscientia est mala bestia quae facit hominem stare contra seipsum Conscience is an evil Beast for it makes a man to stand against himself When Conscience is our accuser our accuser is within us and we can go no where without this accuser A man by this means becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-punisher These self accusations do break a mans spirit they imbitter all Temporal comforts and Oh! how bitter then do they make affliction 5. Conscience in its accusations lets us understand that God understands better then it self what it layes to our charge The Apostle tells us that God is greater than our Hearts and knows all things 1 John 3 20. This Text plainly informs us that God knows by us more than we know Many sins slip out of Our memories but none out of Gods Hos 7. 2. They consider not in their Hearts that I remember all their wickedness now their own doings have beset them round they are all before my face When Conscience is awakened and we are beset round with our own doings this causes the perplexity that they are all before Gods face he remembers all though we are not able to number half of them Moses cryes out We are consumed by thine anger by thy wrath are we troubled Thou hast set our inquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy Countenance Psal 90. 7. 8. 6. Conscience is many times incessant and not to be silenced in its accusations Augustine (h) Qui malas habent uxores domus suas intrare nolunt ad forum exeunt gaudent coepit hora esse quâ intraturi sunt ad domum suam contristantur Intraturi sunt ad taedia ad murmura ad amaritudines ad eversiones Si ergo miseri sunt qui cùm redeunt ad parietes suos timent quantò miseriores qui ad conscientiam redire nolunt ne litibus peccatorum evertantur Vt possis libens redire ad cor tuum illud munda Aufer cupiditatem sordes aufer labem avaritiae malas cogitationes odia non dico adversus amicum sed etiam adversus inimicum aufer ista omnia Intra cor tuum gaudebis Aug. in Enarrat in Psal 33. pag. mihi 237 238. compares a clamorous Conscience to a brawling Woman whose Tongue being set on fire of Hell never lies still but is continually shooting forth bitter words Now Solomon tells us 'T is better to dwell in the corner of a house top than with such a Woman in a wide house Prov. 25. 24. nay 'T is better to dwell in the Wilderness than with a contentious and angry Woman Prov. 21. 19. But how much more intolerable are the reproaches of an enraged Conscience Flashes of Hell fire do issue as it were out of the mouth of it it is continually bringing guilt unto remembrance and speaking of those Flames unto which this guilt does render the Soul that sins obnoxious and liable Thus the witness of Conscience is an accusation upon doing evil and such an accusation as may very much be dreaded 2. The witnesse of Conscience is an Apology upon doing well It will bear witnesse for those that are sincere when they walk before God in Truth and with a perfect Heart It must indeed be granted that in many things all even the very best do offend Jam. 3. 2. But conscience takes notice of the bent and desire of the Soul to please the Lord and how burthensome and bewailed infirmities are Conscience will excuse and defend if there be a will to do good though evil at the same time be present as it was with the Apostle himself Rom. 7. 21. Conscience having looked into the Gospel understands that God does not deal with Believers according to the terms of the Covenant of Works which had a promise of Life only upon condition of perfect obedience but Death was threatned upon the least transgression No no they are not now under the Law but under Grace and in the new Covenant sincerity is accounted and accepted as our perfection before God through Christ Jesus Now Consciences excusing or defending is of great force and weight 'T is not to be checkt by the reproaches of men nor by the accuser of the Brethren 1. Conscience excusing us is not to be checkt by the reproaches of Men. How eager as I hinted before were Jobs friends in their censures and accusations They thought his Religion was but a meer shew and that he had used the Form of Godliness onely as a cover for his wickedness and injustice Heark how he speaks to them Job 19. 2 3. How long will ye vex my Soul and break me in pieces with words these ten times have ye reproached me you are not ashamed
and the Soul is still under the Dominion and Power of it 6. The Consciences of the regenerate are not good in respect of Legal Perfection and Exactness The first Adam before his Apostacy was able to reach this Exactness which the Law required he was able to Obey the Law of God without Offending in a tittle Christ also the second Adam did fulfill the Law without the least Transgression all his days He was like unto his Brethren in other regards but sin is excepted Heb. 4. 15. So Heb. 7. 26. Such an High-Priest became us who is Holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens But truly the best of Saints fall short Surely they are unacquainted with the Law of God that imagine they are able perfectly to Obey it it may justly be suspected that they put short glosses upon it and then fancy they fulfill it but questionless they are ignorant of its strictness and Spirituality As 't is said of God himself that he is of purer eyes than to behold Evil and cannot look upon Iniquity Habak 1. 13. So it may be said of his Law 't is purer than to allow any evil than to approve of the least Iniquity No Conscience therefore in a Legal sence can be affirmed to be good for the Holy Ghost does not stick to say There is not a Just man upon Earth that does good and sins not Eccles 7. 20. The Consciences of Saints see sin but in part therefore David crys out Cleanse me from secret sins who can understand his Errors Psal 19. 12. and Psal 139. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting And as the Consciences of the best are capable of more light than they have so more purity and tenderness may also be attained 7. Conscience may be good according to the Law of Grace though sin is not totally purged away This very Apostle Paul which says he had a good Conscience before God does yet say Not as though I ha◠attained or were already perfect Phil. 3. 12. Nay he does acknowledge that sin did dwell in him he complains of a Law in his Members and crys out O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this death Rom. 7. 20 23 24. Conscience is good in a Gospel-sence though sin remain as long as it does not Reign in us and we are no longer willing to Obey it in the Lusts of it Now if you ask me in what regard Conscience is good notwithstanding some remainders of evil I Answer 1. Conscience is good comparatively how vast a difference between Saints and Sinners How careful the one how careless the other How are the former afraid of offending God! how are the latter presumptuous and bold How are their Hearts set in them to do evil When Noah is said to be a Just Man and Perfect in his Generation Gen. 6. 9. This is hinted that he was Just compared with the men of his Generation and his Righteousness was the more to be admired since he kept himself unpolluted by their wickedness 2. Conscience may be said to be good sincerely when in the spirit of a man there is no guile as the Psalmist says Psal 32. 2. When there is no sin but the soul consents to be delivered from it and no Grace but the soul desires to be enriched with it and no Command but 't is willing to Obey it and where it falls short 't is grieved and because it has not attained therefore 't is continually pressing towards the Mark and perfecting Holiness in the fear of God (*) Perfecti et non perfecti Phil. 3. Perfecti viatores nondum perfecti possessores et noveritis quod perfectos viatores dicat qui jam in viâ ambulant Quid est ambulare Breviter dico proficere ne forte non intelligatis pigrius ambuletis Semper tibi displiceas quod es sivis pervenire ad id quod nondum es Nam ubi tibi placuisti ibi remansisti Si autem dixeris sufficit periisti Semper adde semper ambula semper profic Noli in viâ remanere noli retro redire noli deviare Aug. De verbis Apostoli Ser. 15. pag. mihi 338. Tom. 10. 3. Conscience may be said to be good so as to be accepted We Serve a very gracious Lord who is not extream to mark our Offences though we come short in point of performance yet if he sees we unfeignedly desire and purpose to please him such is his Fatherly indulgence that he does accept us not according to what we have not but according to what we have I know O my God says David that thou tryest the Heart and hast pleasure in uprightness 1 Chron. 29. 17. If upon tryal of the heart he finds 't is turned towards himself he takes delight in it 4. Notwithstanding many failings which are un-allowed of and mourned over Conscience may be said to be good so as to be rewarded Evangelical good works though they are not meritorious yet they are rewardable therefore a reward is spoken of and assured in Scripture to Believers Rev. 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to give to every Man according as his work shall be God promises to be himself a Reward to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. and so he will be to all the Children of Abraham Christ will Reward them with Salvation that do Obey him Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that do Obey him If Conscience bear us witness that we are diligent in Trading with those Talents which are delivered to us we may be assured that at last we shall hear Well done good and Faithful Servants Enter you into the Joy of your Lord. We may wonder exceedingly that such a Reward should be promised to a good Conscience and shall we not wonder much more when that Reward is Actually received Since our Obedience is so lame and our goodness so imperfect But we must remember that the Saints imperfections are covered by Christ and in him all the promises of God and surely then the promises of Reward are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. And therefore Eternal Life which is the Reward promised and expected is also called a free-gift and said to be given through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 23. These things being thus premised I am to tell you what a good Conscience is Bernard speaking of a good Conscience does very well and also wittily affirm (x) Faelix Conscientia in quâ veritas misericordia obviaverunt sibi justitia pax osculatae sunt Bern. de Int. Dom pag 1060. That Conscience is truly good where Mercy and Truth are met together and Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other The truth of the Gospel does reveal the mercy of God
A HEAVEN or HELL UPON EARTH OR A DISCOURSE CONCERNING Conscience By Nathanael Vincent M. A. Minister of the GOSPEL Acts 24. 16. Herein do I Exercise my self to have a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Man Multi quaerunt Scientiam pauci Conscientiam si vero tanto studio sollicitudine quaereretur Conscientia quanto quaeritur secularis vana scientia citiùs apprehenderetur utiliùs retineretur Bernard de Interior dom cap. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl in Pythag. aur Carm. pag. mihi 213. 214. London Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Three Bibles and Crown at the Lower end of Cheap-side 1676. TO THE Much Honoured Sir Nathanael Herne Henry Ashurst Sen. Esq Mr. Abr. D'olins Merchant John Gould Esq Mr. Kiffin Merchant Grace Mercy and Peace be Multiplyed Honoured Sirs IF a Wish might be Granted to hear the Apostle Paul in the Pulpit one would be ready to Wish again that Christ or Conscience might be the Subject of his Sermon Were He to Preach how would he set forth Christ who is the Beloved Son of God! the brightness of his Fathers Glory who is Adored by all the Angels and deserves to be the Desire of all Nations How plainly and impartially would he deal with Conscience examining searching and reproving it and thereby commend himself to it in the sight of God One (a) Vnicuique Liber est sùa Conscientia ad hunc Librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii inventi sunt Bernard De Interior Dom. Cap. 28. of the Fathers calls Conscience a Book and Affirms that other Books were invented that the Errata in this might be Corrected The Scriptures themselves were given by Inspiration of God to this End that the Evils of Conscience might be Discovered and the Man of God made Perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works 'T is therefore a bad World because Conscience seems to be Exiled and Banished out of it Conscience has in these Days lost its Power and does not Exercise that Authority which by right it should as Gods Vicegerent here below But Mens Wills and Lusts have got the head so that neither God is feared nor Man regarded And for their own Souls they are least of all concerned If it be a sad Sight to see Beggars on Horse-back and Princes Walking as Servants upon the Earth much more is it to be Lamented that Mens Corruptions which ought to be held in perpetual Restraint should sway and Command all and Conscience the mean while be slighted stifled stupified and kept under which as a Prince should be Obeyed in every thing and from God give Laws to the whole Man What One said of a good Magistrate may be applyed unto a good Conscience that (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is a Benefactor and Friend to Mankind 'T will never be well with us till this have a Resurrection This is the way to obtain a Blessing from God the way to have Prosperity Trade Reputation and which is more than any than all these the Honour and Credit of the Christian Religion revived which has sunk in the esteem of many because so little of Conscience has appeared in those who have Professed it That thus it may be is the end both of this Book and of its Author And I have Dedicated it unto you Honoured Sirs who are of different Perswasions to shew that great Respect I unfeignedly bear unto you All and because Persons of all Perswasions have need to study the Subject here Treated of How many bad Consciences are there of every Opinion And if all of every Opinion would but look well to their Consciences and be so self-denying as to lay aside their Passions and their Interests This would be one of the most probable means to bring all to a better Agreement They are the Carnal and Hypocritical of every Party who endeavour to make breaches wider that are the Quarrellers and Disputers The truly Conscientious abhor Contention the sincere are very inclinable unto Peace I shall add no more but Conclude this my Address to you with an earnest Wish that All of every Perswasion may imitate You All in regard of Conscientiousness Moderation and Wisdom And 't is not a Complement to tell you that in thus Wishing I Wish well to the whole Nation and to the Churches of Christ in it Your most Humble Servant for Jesus sake Nathanael Vincent An ADDRESSE TO THE Conscience of the READER Conscience MY Expectation is greater from Thee than from any thing in the Reader besides I make no question but what I have written being opposite unto the sinfull and corrupt Inclinations of men will also be displeasing to their Humour but I have hope that Thou wilt side with me 'T is easie to convince Thee that Sin is to the prejudice of the whole Man that a Redeemer is to be prized by Sinners who are under the worst kind of Bondage and that Holiness is for men's Honour and Interest and Safety 'T is easie to convince Thee that those Pleasures and Advantages which are offer'd in Temptation are inconsiderable and that 't is the heighth of Folly to yield unto the Tempter to forsake an All-sufficient God to hazard an immortal Soul and venture the enduring of Eternal Misery for the sake of those Profits and Delights which are so mixed and unsatisfactory while enjoyed and which can continue at longest but a very short season And since it is most certainly thus O Conscience keep not silence produce the Word of God and there shew how the Lord has given thee a Negative Voice and allows nothing to be done that may defile or wound thee Protest loudly and peremptorily against all Sin call Heaven and Earth to witness and God himself unto thine assistance Vigorously oppose the Enemy of Mankind who hath his Name Apollyon because he endeavours to destroy all Bestirre thy self and joyn with Me in endeavouring to hinder the everlasting Ruine of every Reader who shall take this Book into his hand My design is not to turn People to a Party but to turn them unto God that which I preach up is Faith in our Lord Jesus and Purity in Heart and Conversation And surely such a design Thou canst not but approve such a Doctrine Thou must needs grant is faithful sound and consequently worthy of all Acceptation O Conscience I am pleading for God! that He who is so Great and Good may be obeyed and that the Sons of Men would submit their Wills to His And this is a thing but very equal since their Wills are corrupt and foolish and strongly inclin'd unto what is mischievous to themselves but His is wise and gracious and never commands any thing but what is really for the Profit of him that is to yield Obedience I am likewise O Conscience pleading for Thee that Thou mayst be allowed the free Exercise of thy Authority and Power and mayest be hearkened to whenever thou dost declaim against Sin and
voluntatis maxima consolatio rerum incommodarum Cicero under the greatest calamities that befell them their sleep was sweet and so were their enjoyments nay Adversity it self was sweetned when Conscience gave them its approbation Tully speaks excellently (i) Illud vero est hominis magni sapientis libidinem odium invidiam metum cupiditatesque omnes amovere maximéque aestimare conscientiam mentis suae quam ab Diis immortalibus accepimus quae à nobis divelli non potest Quae si optimorum consiliorum atque factorum testis inomni vit â nobis erit sine ullo metu summâ cum honestate vivemus Cicer. Orat. pro A. Cluentio That is the part of one that would be Great and Wise to put away Lust and Hatred and Envy and Fear and all carnal Affections and most of all to mind his Conscience This we have received from God this cannot be separated from us And if this be a witnesse to us that we follow and practise the best Counsel our Life will be without Fear and with the greatest Honesty You see what contentment and peace did ensue when the Heathens made it their care not to go contrary to the light in their own minds And though I dare not affirm because Conscience did excuse them that God did justifie them for there is no way of being justified before God that is revealed to us but by Faith in our Lord Jesus yet 't is not at all disagreeable to Truth to say that the satisfaction which they had was some reward of their well-doing and a very great encouragement thereunto Thus it appears by the light of Nature that there is a Conscience in Man 2. This Truth is more fully evident by Scripture This Book of Scripture has no Errour in it 't is given by inspiration of God who as he cannot be deceived himself so he cannot lye unto others Titus 1. 2. Now if you hearken to the Scripture that there is a Conscience may be proved many wayes 1. Conscience is often expresly spoken of The Lord who made Man and who perfectly knowes what is in Man tells us of such a thing as Conscience Not onely in the Text is Conscience mentioned but in divers other places Heb. 9. 9. Which was a figure speaking of the Tabernacle for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins which could not make him that did the Service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience The Conscience of Man could not be purified or purged by the Legal Sacrifices but all these were typical of that Sacrifice which Christ offered up of himself unto God which alone can purge the Conscience from dead Works Heb. 9. 14. So also 2 Cor. 4. 2. We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftyness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God We are to speak unto Conscience to commend our selves unto Conscience how could this be were there not a Conscience 2. That work of the Spirit called Conviction proves a Conscience When the Spirit comes to work upon any he first convinces them of Sin and afterwards of Righteousness Joh. 16. 8. he first shewes by what they are fallen and then how they may be raised and recovered But Conscience is that which is the Subject of this Conviction When Christ said unto the Scribes and Pharisees who brought an Adulteress before him He that is without Sin among you let him first cast a Stone at her 't is said when they heard it being convicted by their own Conscience (k) Apparet hic quanta vis est malae Conscientiae Quum impii isti hypocritae Christum suis cavillis eludere in animo haberent simul tamen ac eorum conscientias unâ voce pungit perculsi diffugiunt hoc malleo frangenda est hypocritarum superbia Calv. in Johan they went out one by one beginning at the eldest even unto the last Joh. 8. 7 9. When the Law came with power upon the Apostle and 't was interpreted and the extent of it shewed by the Spirit Sin revived and he died Rom. 7. 9. that is his Conscience was awakened to take notice of Sin and he perceived that he was a dead condemned man by Law and that there was no way to be delivered without a Mediator In conviction the Conscience is struck at there is the alarum heard which causes such Terrour and Confusion and if there were no Conscience there could be no Conviction 3. Sinning against Conscience hightens transgerssion but this supposes a Conscience to be sinned against Our Lord sayes plainly He that knowes his Masters will and goes against the Light of his Conscience prepares not himself nor does according to the will of his Lord he shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12. 47. When sinners do not like to retain God in their knowledge when they are troubled because Conscience puts them in mind that the Lord observes them when they imprison as it were the Truth in Unrighteousness and stifle the Light that stirs in them because they love the works of Darkness this is to sin with an high hand and will add much both unto Guilt and Punishment 4. Several Duties which are injoyned and urged in Scripture suppose a Conscience in us because Conscience is a Principal agent in the performance of them We are commanded to search and try our wayes that we may turn unto the Lord our God Lam. 3. 40. but 't is the work of Conscience thus to call us to an account and to examine how our Actions and that Rule which is given us have agreed together VVe are commanded to try and prove our selves whether we be in the Faith whether Christ be in us yea or no 2 Cor 13. 5. Now 't is Conscience which takes notice of the Characters of true and unfeigned Faith which the holy Ghost has given 't is Conscience also which applies these Characters and then drawes the conclusion either that we are not believers if our Faith be dead and we onely name the name of Christ but have no will to depart from iniquity or that we are Believers if our Faith purifie our hearts if it work by love if it overcome the world so that all things are counted loss that we may win Christ who is truly precious Finally we are commanded to judge our selves that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. But this judging is an act of Conscience And truly it Judges under God and by his Authority and therefore its Judgement is the more to be minded 5. All men in Scripture are divided into good and bad and in both there is a Conscience The Apostle tells us that in the defiled and unbelieving there is a Conscience though a polluted one Tit. 1. 15. and though for a while it may seem to be asleep though it may
of all Acceptation Is that which is Evil and False Rejected and abhorred This Power call'd Conscience is very notable the Eyes of the Body indeed can look every where but inward but the Eyes of the Soul can look within as well as abroad And this looking within is very needful and of great use for till we come to know our selves we shall know nothing else after a right manner The Heathen Poet complains Nemo in sese tentat descendere Nemo No man does endeavour to descend into himself But Conscience taking the Word which is the candle of Lord does thus Descend and makes a Discovery of us to our selves 2. Conscience implies some knowledge of the Will of God Knowledge is the Light which Conscience is directed by and the Will and Law of God is that which binds the Conscience (c) Distinguitur Conscientia à nudâ veritatis apprehensione assensum enim aliquem eumque firmum in sese continet semper Amesius De Consc lib. 1. cap. 1. The Will of God is not onely understood but also an assent is yeilded to it and there is a perswasion that 't is indeed his Will Hence 't is that conscience does more peremptorily call for Subjection to it VVere there no Light or Understanding of the Lords will Conscience could not Act at all There is a threefold Light which is given for the illumination of Conscience that Gods Will and Mans Duty may be the better understood Natural Moral Evangelical 1. The Light of Nature does discover many things and informs the Conscience of several duties though this Light does not tell us one word of Christ in whom * Perseus Satyr 4. we have Righteousness to justifie us and Strength to perform what God requires yet when Men are about to Sin this Light does oppose many of the works of Darkness and so renders them the more inexcusable when they give way to their iniquities The Lord is pleased to grant the Light of Nature to them unto whom the Gospel never came and by a diligent improvment of this one Talent how many Sins might they avoid which being committed will make their misery the greater in another world Conscience was busie in the very Gentiles and told them that such and such things were forbidden but the restraints of Conscience were but feeble (d) Video meliora proboque Detcriora sequor Therefore Medea cryes out Though I see and approve what is good yet I follow and practise what is evil And Horace complaines Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas Conscience tells mankind that wickedness is forbidden and yet notwithstanding they rush into it and are at length ruined by it Though Christians who enjoy the Oracles of God have from thence a fuller understanding of the Lords VVill yet the Light of Nature is not to be neglected And those Sins which are against the Light of Nature as injustice perjury whoredome and the like are carefully to be Eschewed And such abominations will be the more Abominable if Acted by those who have a further light than that of Nature to instruct them 2. There is a Light which may be called Moral whereby Conscience is informed concerning the will of God This Light shined as it were from Mount Sinai when it was on fire and the Lord was pleased to speak himself the ten Words or Commandments to the People These Commandments are delivered at large Exod. 20. and in these he does more fully shew us what is good and what he does require of us and indeed nothing but what is good in it self good to us is required and hereby our Obligation to Obedience is heightned when the Authority of the Law-giver and the profitableness of the Laws go hand in hand together A great part of the Scripture is but the Commentary which the Holy Spirit himself has made upon the ten Commandments and truly the Commentary and the Text are of equal Authority and both alike to be regarded by the Conscience That Scripture Eph. 5. 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger be put away from you with all kind of malice is a Commentary upon that Precept Thou shalt not kill And that Scripture Gal. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness Inordinate affection and evil concupiscence is a Commentary upon that Commandmandment Thou shalt not commit Adultery I might instance in the rest to shew that the Commands of God are exceeding broad and extend not onely to the whole Conversation but even to the very thoughts and affections there is not one Member of our Bodies but is under a Law to be employed as an Instrument of Righteousness unto Holiness Rom. 6. 19. There is no power of our Souls but God requires it should be subject to him and exercised for him The Law is so pure and Spiritual that it cannot allow of a wicked thought of a carnal desire of a bad intent or design All this Conscience must be informed of that it may be the more faithful in charging us to endeavour after an universal Obedience and conformity of our whole man unto the will of God 3. There is a Light which may be stiled Evangelical The Light of the Gospel also serves to enlighten the Conscience 't is called by the Apostle the glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1. 11. and from God the Author of it does flow its Authority to bind the Conscience to Obey it The Gospel as it contains Promises exceeding great and precious so also Precepts which are so suited unto our present state as that by the power of the special Grace of God which is vouchsafed to us we are able to Obey So that though the Law is weak through the Flesh and we are not able to keep it and obtain Life by that means yet the Gospel does abate of the Laws rigour and if we believe in Jesus and are holy in sincerity notwithstanding we fall short of absolute perfection our Grace being true shall through Christ be accepted and rewarded 'T is well that Conscience is to be directed by the Light of the Gospel for the Law (e) Nihil gravius nihil miserius conscientiâ territâ lege Dei conspectu peccatorum Luther Tom. 4. in Psal 128. considered in it self and not in the hand of a Mediator can discover nothing to the Conscience of a Transgressor but matter of horror and desperation For the Law being broken Life is lost and the curse is due nay every transgression has power sufficient to lay us under the curse Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them and having thundered out the curse the Law leaves a Man under it and does not tell him of any Remedy But now the Gospel commands Repentance which the Law allows not of and encourages to Repentance by assuring us if we Repent we shall not perish but our sins shall be
before God ibid. 280 c. Why we should do thus 283 The Application 288 Doct. 4. A good Conscience has a great and lasting influence upon the Life and all the Actions 291 There is no Action but Conscience is to examine ibid. A good Conscience will not admit of loose Principles 292 'T will not abuse Christian Liberty ibid. It takes notice what Principles we are acted from 293 It eyes the matter of our Actions 294 Our Obligation to the Moral Law ibid. The Precepts of the Gospel 295 A good Conscience looks to the Manner of our Obedience ibid. And to the End of it ibid. A good Conscience particularly has an influence upon our holy Duties 296 The works of our Calling 297 Our Words and Discourses 299 The Manner of spending our Time ibid. Our Natural Actions 300 Our Recreations ibid. Our carriage in Relations 301 Behaviour in Prosperity and Adversity c. p. 302 Application 303 Doct. 5. A good Conscience steels a mans heart with courage and makes him fearless before his Adversaries 305 The Grounds of this Fearlesness 306 The Vses 307 Doct. 6. Those that are truly Conscientious love their Enemies and wish them no worse than if they were their Brethren 308 The Reasons of this ibid. 309 The Application 309 310 The Conclusion of the whole Discourse in an Address to Conscience 311 c. There is in Man a Conscience ACTS 23. 1. And Paul earnestly beholding the Council said Men and Brethren I have lived in all good Conscience before God untill this Day IN the foregoing Chapter the Apostle Paul declares at large unto the Jews the miraculous manner of his conversion to the Christian Faith and being thus converted he was very forward to propagate that Faith which once he endeavoured to destroy He tells them plainly that in opposing Jesus of Nazareth he had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fighter against God himself and that the Stone which heretofore he had stumbled at is that chief Corner-stone which is laid in Zion for a Foundation on which whoever builds his building shall never fall This he perceived evidently in his way to Damascus as he was journeying with Authority and Commission to persecute the Christians Christ himself both meets and stops him at Mid-day he saw a Light from Heaven above the Brightness of the Sun which did both strike him Blind with its excessive Shining and yet also opened his Eyes to behold his former Errour in setting himself against the Lord of Life and Glory The design of this Relation was to convince the Jewes and to perswade them to embrace that Jesus who was crucified indeed that he might redeem them from the curse which they could never escape by any other means but liveth by the power of God and is exalted far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Well They hear the Apostle with patience untill he told them of his Commission to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles and then a most Satanical Envy and Fury stops their Ears and they cry out Away with such a Fellow from the Earth And truly from the Earth they had quickly sent him if the chief Captain Lysias understanding that he was a Roman that is though a Jew by birth yet having the priviledge of a Roman Citizen (a) Nâ—runt historiae Romanae periti quosdam in provinciae civitate fuisse donatos si de Republicâ bene meriti hanc sibi mercedem à Proconsulibus rogarent ita nihil absurdi est natum fuisse Romanum civem qui tamen ex provinciâ remotâ oriundus nunquam in Italiâ pedem posuisset Calv. in Act. Apost had not rescued him out of their hands Being thus delivered from the multitude he is brought and set before the Councel He stands alone indeed to make his defence but as the Lord stood by him to strengthen him so he brings with him a good Conscience which was as much nay more to make him undaunted then if he had had a thousand witnesses of his innocency And Paul earnestly beholding the Councel said Men and Brethren I have lived in all good Conscience before God unto this day The words contain the Apostles profession in which several particulars are very remarkable 1. He professes that he had lived in good Conscience he speaks of Conscience to his Adversaries that he might awaken Their's to do their Duty that hereby they might be hindered from doing wrong to him but more wrong to themselves by unrighteous judgment He farther adds that his Conscience was good and did not at all accuse but cleer him 2. He had acted as before God and had good Assurance that God approved of what he had done he had cause to be confident that the Supream and Most Righteous Judge would not condemn him but was pleased at that for which the Jews were so much offended Chrisost observes (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Act. Apost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Apostle speaks thus to take away the Jewes prejudice against him and to convince them that he had done nothing which was injurious to them or worthy of the bonds which were upon him 3. He had approved himself unto God and Conscience in all things he was not ruled by carnal interest or fleshly Wisdom but there was simplicity and godly sincerity in the whole course of his conversation since his first conversion to the Christian Faith 4. Neither was this only for a while but even unto that very day wherein there were such loud exclamations against him as if he were unfit to live any longer in the World 5. You are to take notice of the persons before whom he professes all this and those were the Council of the Jews And 1. He stedfastly and earnestly lookes upon them to shew both his Courage and his Innocency he is not afraid to face them neither does he cast down his eyes through guilt or shame 2. He calls them not only Men but Brethren His Brethren they were according to the Flesh and though full of hatred against him yet he had a Brotherly love to them and his Hearts desire was that they might be saved I shall observe from the Text several points of Doctrine 1. God has placed a Conscience in Man The Apostle had a Conscience and 't was a good Conscience all others have a Conscience likewise either good or evil 2. To have a good conscience should be every one 's greatest care Every one should strive to resemble the Apostle and be able to say I have lived in good Conscience 3. A good Conscience will make men to set themselves as before God continually I have lived in good Conscience before God 4. A good Conscience has a great and lasting influence upon the Life and all the Actions I have lived in all good Conscience and that unto this day 5. A good Conscience makes a Man fearless and and steels his Heart with courage when he stands before his Enemies Paul
earnestly beheld the Council 6. Those who are truly Conscientious love their adversaries and wish them no worse then if they were their brethren Paul said Men and Brethren Doct. 1. God has placed a Conscience in Man Such a thing as Conscience is supposed in the Text else 't were not capable of being good or bad To have a Conscience is common to all though to have a good one as the Apostle had is very rare In the handling of this Doctrine I shall undertake three things First I shall prove that there is a Conscience in Man Secondly I shall tell you what this Conscience is Thirdly I shall assign the Reasons why the Lord hath given unto Man a Conscience After these three things are dispatched will follow the Application 1. In the first place I am to prove That there is a Conscience in Man There is great need that this should be made evident because (c) Ita in multorum animis extincta est conscientia ut licet interdum tacitos ejusdem stimulos sentiant tamen quae de eâ audiant pro ludibrio habeant ac si figmentum somnium inane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esset Conscientia Baldwinus De Conscientiâ lib. 1. cap. 1. many regard Conscience no more then if it were a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer Bug-bear to fright those who are timorous then if it were a dream or phancy But as the reason why the fool sayes in his Heart there is no God Ps 14. 1. t is not because there is no God indeed but because being afraid of God he wishes there were none at all So the true cause why stupid sinners say there is no such thing as Conscience is this Conscience does accuse and reproach and disquiet them and they first wishing there were no such thing employ their corrupt reason to argue against it But I shall prove that there is really a Conscience in Man three wayes First By the Light of Nature Secondly By Scripture And lastly By Experience 1. That there is such a thing as Conscience is evident By the Light of Nature Though there is a further light which shines from the Word of God yet the light of Nature is much to be regarded for those Truths are of very great importance and use that by this light are made manifest (d) Praemisit Deus Naturam Magistrum submissurus propheliam ut facilius credas prophetiae discipulus naturae Tertul. The light of Nature informs us of an eternal Power and God-Head Rom. 1. 20. The same light also tells us of a Conscience which is ever with us always observes us and unto whose Power and Authority we ought to submit our solves The Apostle speaks fully to this purpose Rom. 2. 14. 15. The Gentiles which have not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their Hearts their Conscience also bearing them Witnesse and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another 1. There is a Law written in the Hearts of the Gentiles They were not altogether unacquainted with the duties of the first Table but knew that as there is a God so this God is to be loved pleased praised served and that there should be a trusting in him that he should be Worshipped with a pure mind 'T was the saying of Cato (e) Si Deus est animus nobis ut carmina dicunt Hic tibi praecipuè sit purâ mente colendus Cato De moribus lib. 1. dist 1. If God be a Spirit then with a pure mind chiefly he is to be Worshipped But as to the second Table of the Law they were more fully instructed concerning the duties therein required They knew that Parents were to be honoured that Murther was to be abhorred that Adultery was not to be committed that Theft was a sin to be avoided that they were not to bear false Witness against others nor to Covet what belonged to them Now by this Law in their Hearts the Consciences of the Heathens were informed and obliged and hereby they were able to discern the difference between Good and Evil. Seneca sayes that (f) Scias subesse animis etiam ad pessima abductis boni sensum nec ignorariturpe sed negligi Sen. Epist 97. there is a sense of good even in those minds that are carried away unto the Commission of the greatest Evils neither are they ignorant what is abominable but neglect what they understand 2. The Consciences of the Heathens did bear them witnesse in this respect the Lord may be said not to have left himself without a witness even in them to whom his written Word never came The Gentiles took notice of something within themselves which as it did urge them to what was good and endeavoured to restrain them from evil so it took notice of all they did and was ready to witness for them or against them according as the Law written in their Hearts was observed or transgressed 'T is a notable injunction of Pythagoras g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. Aur. Cor. Above all others reverence thy self that is chiefly regard Conscience the witness within thee and be afraid and ashamed to do any thing before this witnesse which may be matter of just accusation against thee 3. The Thoughts of the Gentiles did accuse them upon their doing Evil. These accusations were accompanied with great Torment and this torment was the more tormenting because Conscience could not be avoided but guilty sinners were forced to hear the disquieting reproaches of it The Fable concerning Tityus who after he attempted to Ravish Latona was adjudged to have a Vulture to feed upon his Liver which grew with the Moon and consequently was still the Vultures food (*) Natal Com. lib. c. 19. did signifie the gripings of a guilty Conscience for sin which are incessant The Furies which the Poets talk of are the torments of an accusing Conscience and such kind of punishments are a great deal worse than the severest judge on Earth is able to inflict Juvenal Satyr 13. speaks notably to this purpose Cur tamen hos tu Evasisse putes quos diri conscia facti Mens habet attonitos et sur do verbere caedit Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum Poena autem vehemens et multo suaevor illis Quas et Caeditius gravis invenit aut Rhadamanthus Nocte diéque suum gestare in pectore testem Which verses may be thus translated into English But think'st thou he escapes whose conscience makes Whips that unheard his guilty Soul still shakes The Judge Caeditius cannot here invent Nor Rhadamant in Hell a punishment To equal his that 's day and night opprest Bearing about his Witness in his brest 4. The Thoughts of the Gentiles did excuse them upon well doing They found a great satisfaction in going according to the dictates of their own Consciences and this tended very much to their support (h) Conscientia rectae
be so unfaithful as seldom to admonish yet at length 't will awake and then 't will be found that it knowes and remembers all misdoings The Regenerate likewise have a Conscience which is enlightned and purged and renewed by the Blood and VVord and Spirit of our Lord Jesus 3. As 't is clear from Scripture that there is a Conscience in Man so 't is evident by experience And here I shall make an appeal unto every ones sense and observation in three following questions 1. What is it that speaks to you when (*) Nemo minus solus quam cum solus alone and tells you that there is an All-seeing God but Conscience (l) NOTE Whenever Conscience performs its office aright t is inlightned and acted by the Spirit of God The Spirit therefore is to be acknowledged for without him Conscience would have no light or life or power or feeling 'T is this which brings to your remembrance that the Lord who is so holy is alwayes present that no darkness or retired corner can hide you from him but he compasses your path and your lying down and is acquainted with all your ways 2. What is it but Conscience that forbids the yeilding to temptations even unto the most secret sins Secret places can hide the Sinner from the eye of man and there are some Sins namely heart wickednesses which man can take no cognizance of and yet we are checkt when we are giving way to these which shewes there is a Conscience as well as a God privy to them When Satan and a deceitful Heart do plead for Sin and perswade to it by this argument that never any are likely to know it yet even then conscience declares against it and cryes out Oh do not that abominable thing which God hates 'T was well said by one of the Ancients to the Gentiles Vos conscios timetis nos conscientiam You are afraid lest others should be conscious to what you do we fear even our own Consciences 3. What is it but Conscience that impresses a fear of a Judgment which is to come (m) Beatus erit quisquis non sine memoriâ divini judicii omnia gesserit Hillar in Psal 118. Rythm Bernard Expavesco miser multùm Judicis severi vultum Quem latebit nil occultum Nec manebit quid inultum Et quis nostrûm non timebit Quando Judex apparebit Ante quem ignis ardebit Peccatores qui delebit It many times with a great deal of Power does mind us of such Scriptures God has appointed a day wherein he will Judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17. 31. We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. And Conscience knowing these Terrors of the Lord perswade Men to Repentance and to labour that whether present or absent they may be accepted of him 'T was a saying of Tertullian Conscientia est prae-judicium extremi judicii Conscience is a Judging before the last Judgment but still it tells of and referrs to the last Judgment that hereby the Heart may be over-awed 4. What is it but Conscience which urges unto secret Duties the Omission of which the World can take no notice of There is a Monitor within us which tells us that our Father is and sees in secret and will reward openly such as secretly and sincerely seek him Mat. 6. When our Hearts the desperate wickedness whereof is not quite cured in the best of us draw back from Prayer in the Closet Conscience then presses to it and pleads the Command the Advantage what an Evidence 't is of uprightness to be often with God alone This same Monitor likewise puts us upon the searching into and study of the Scripture for 't is the Character and property of the Blessed Man to have his Delight in the Law of the Lord and in that Law to Meditate Day and Night Psal 1. 2. 5. What is it but Conscience that applies Truths particularly which are more generally delivered in the Ministry of the Gospel I grant indeed that this application is the Work of the Spirit of God but the Conscience of Man is made use of herein by the Holy Spirit The Preacher shoots a great many Arrows The Spirit does direct them to particular Persons and Conscience takes notice where the Arrow sticks The same Language which was in the Prophet Nathan's Mouth to David after his so foul a fall is in the Mouth of Conscience The Word speaks in the general The Soul that sins shall dye the Wages of Sin is Death But then Conscience crys out Thou art the man that hast sinned and therefore Death and Destruction will quickly over-take thee unless there be a coming by Faith unto a Saviour and a turning out of thy Destructive ways 6. What is it but Conscience which does comment upon Afflictions Folly is bound up in thy heart says Conscience therefore thou feelest the Rod to drive it far from thee Thou art Worldly-minded therefore thou meetest with Losses to wean thee from that which if still doated on will both deceive and ruine thee Thou art too much like a slothful Servant therefore says Conscience Affliction is sent to make thee mend thy pace and follow them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises (n) Tempestuous times Amaze poor mortals and object their crimes Herbert When Joseph's Brethren were all put into Ward in Egypt their Consciences commented upon their Restraint and brought their injurious handling of their Brother to remembrance Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us 7. What is it but Conscience that traces us in all our Actions Conscience takes notice what Principles we are Acted by what Ends we aim at it Observes both the Matter and the Manner of our Actions Conscience Examines whether Love to the Lord constrain us to his Work whether the pleasing honouring and enjoying of God be our great Design whether our Hearts and Affections be in our Services After thy Praying and Hearing and Receiving are ended doest thou not find something within thee running over all thy performances and calling thee to Account whether thou hast Prayed with Faith and Fervency whether thou hast heard believingly and with attention whether thou hast received worthily This is Conscience 8. What is it but Conscience which haunts us upon miscarriages It s Mouth is full of Reproaches and these Reproaches are unanswerable After sins especially presumptuous ones have been committed there is a secret gnawing within and that is the Worm of Conscience (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch De his qui sero à Numine puniuntur pag. mihi 554. Plutarch compares the pleasure of sin which is
blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3. 19. The Gospel also does command a sinner to come to Christ to believe in him 1 John 3. 23. This is his commandment that we believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ That is that we receive him as Lord and Saviour and accept those benefits of pardon Grace and Glory which he has purchased and freely proffers to us And thus by this command Conscience is obliged to do that as a Duty which is one of the greatest Priviledges imaginable You see what bindes the Conscience namely the will of God discovered partly by the Light of Nature but principally by the Law and Gospel (f) Constat synteresis latiore sensu partim ex principiis moralibus in natis cum eorum conclusionibus partim ex iis quae Deus insuper homini praescripsit sed utramque partem constituit voluntas Dei revelata quâ homo intelligit fibi suum officium praescriptum esse Hinc lex Dei sola obligat conscientiam per legem autem intelligigimus volunt atem Dei revelatam ità ut contineat etiam illa quae in Evangelio praescribuntur Amas l. 1. De Consc c. 2. p. 5. All these Discoveries of the will of God are to be kept safe in the Conscience one part of which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to keep because practical Truths are to be Treasured up there we must be acquainted what is the will of God and do that will as well as understand it The adequate Rule of Conscience is the will of God and of this will in his Word there is the fullest Revelation here mans Duty is prescribed and shewn and so far as the Word commands Conscience is obliged and no further As God alone knows the Conscience and has power to punish it so he alone can bind it I acknowledge that for Conscience sake we are bound to obey the just commands of Men that are in Authority over us but the Obligation upon Conscience to do this comes not from them but from Gods command that we should be Subject to them and to be ready unto every good Work Tit. 3. 1. 3. As Conscience implies a knowledge of the will of God so 't is the Office of Conscience to impell us to comply with his will which is made known to us The Prophet speaking concerning the Spirit bringing the Word to remembrance tells the Children of Israel Isa 30. 21. Thine Ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left These words may very aptly be applied unto Conscience which is as a Voice within us saying concerning forbidden paths These are not the way and therefore turn out of them but concerning commanded Duties These are the way and therefore practise them When Joseph was sollicited by his Mistress to commit folly and the temptation was strong considering the circumstances which he was in It was Conscience that minded him of his Obligation to his Master which he ought not to requite by defiling of his Bed and especially how evil and hainous such a deed would be in the Lords eyes and he comes to a fixed resolution not to yield not to go contrary to his Conscience and Duty How says he shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Conscience is not onely a witness to testifie concerning us nor onely a Judge to pass Sentence upon us but also a Law commanding and stirring us up unto our Duty and when it does thus excite us to Obedience First it uses Gods Name and Authority Secondly it charges under the greatest penalties Thirdly it sets before us the Lords great goodness 1. Conscience to impell us to Obedience uses Gods own Name and Authority Thus saith the Lord says Conscience These commands are the commands of God they are enacted by Him who is the supream Law-giver who hath power to save and to destroy James 4. 12. The Thessalonians when they received the Word of God which they heard of the Apostles they received it not as the word of Men but as it is in Truth the word of God which worketh effectually in them that believe 1 Thes 2. 13. Conscience charged them to receive the Gospel because the Gospel of God and they did receive it though hereupon they were exposed to never so great Afflictions and Tribulations Conscience looks beyond Instruments which are but Earthen Vessels Men of like passions with our selves and eyes that God who employs and sends them In the Publishing of a Proclamation who says Thus saith the Town-Clerk No every one concludes Thus saith the King This is really the will of God says Conscience and therefore do not dare to be obstinate against it It uses the same Language which the Apostle Paul does to Timothy after it has urged unto Duty and to take heed of sin I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall Judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Here is such a Name and Authority used as may well make us to stand in awe 2. Conscience charges us under the greatest penalties It tells us indeed of temporal plagues and Spiritual Judgments and how much sin may cost us in this present World but that 's not all nor the worst of all it also makes Hell naked before us and takes off that covering which is upon Destruction and bids us look down and then asks this Question How will you be able to dwell with devouring fire How will you be able to inhabit everlasting burnings Is it good says Conscience to Live without God in this World and with a curse to depart for ever from him in the next Isit good to enjoy the pleasures of sin which are but for a season and then to be tormented in those Flames which never can be quenched To run into sin is to rush into a Battel against that God against whom none ever hardned themselves and prospered To run into sin is a mad venturing to leap into Hell think of this when tempted Oh how slender are the penalties wherewith Humane Laws are backed Those Statutes which were made by severe Draco which are said to be writ with Blood because he punished every fault with Death had not such a dreadful penalty annexed to them as the Laws of God For what is the Death of the Body if compared with the Damnation of the Body and Soul for ever Luke 12. 4 5. 3. Conscience that it may perswade us to Obedience sets before us the Lords great goodness bids us behold his goodness as well as his severity Rom. 11. 22. It tells us that if we depart from God we forsake our own Mercies we leave our Rock and Fortress and betray our selves into the hands of Enemies It uses the cords of Love to
that you make your selves strange unto me and yet notwithstanding all as long as his Conscience did clear him his confidence is not shaken and he says the Righteous surely including himself shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. 2. Consciences excusing us is not to be checkt by Satan the Accuser of the Brethren As Job's Friends did censure him so Satan accused him of Mercenariness and selfishness in his Religion Doth Job fear God for nought But put forth thy hand now and touch what he hath and he will curse thee to thy Face These were the words of Satan Job 1. 9. 11. But instead of this when all was taken away Job blesses the Lord nay when his Bone and Flesh were touched he says Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil Job 2. 10. Job's sincerity is proved and approved is evident to himself and Satan who 't is likely enough was busie to disturb him is demonstrated to be a Lyar. As the Devil does hide the faults of the profane and secure from their eyes so he is continually objecting to the sincere their failings and imperfections by his good will he would have us see no sin at all or nothing else but sin and from the remainders of Corruption he is bold to call the Saints Hypocrites though these remainders are never so much their burthen But if Conscience does give testimony that they delight in the Law of God after the inward Man and that the evil in themselves they hate and desire to be delivered from the Body of sin and Death Notwithstanding Satan's slanders they give thanks to God because there is now no condemnation to them being in Christ Jesus Rom. 7. latter end compared with Rom. 8. the beginning So much for this Office of Conscience which is bearing witness both by way of Accusing and Excusing 5. It follows in the Definition that 't is the Office of Conscience to Judge that is to acquit or to condemn us Judging lies in these two things in absolving and condemning The Judge if Righteous does acquit the Innocent does condemn the guilty Now condemning and not condemning or absolving are both ascribed unto Conscience by the Apostle 1 John 3. 20 21. For if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God There is a kind of a Tribunal erected in the Soul of Man and after Conscience has brought in Evidence and Acted the part of a Witness then it Acts the part of a Judge and passes Sentence which is two-fold A Sentence of Absolution a Sentence of Condemnation 1. Conscience as a Judge passes a Sentence of Absolution and if being rightly informed Conscience grounds its Sentence upon Scripture we may conclude that what it looses on Earth is loosed in Heaven When Conscience does declare to the true believer that he is justified by his Faith and has Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ it says no more than what God himself has plainly spoken Rom. 5. 1. When it declares unto humbled and penitent Souls who are humbled because they have sinned and perverted that which is right and see that it has not profited them and who also confess and are willing to forsake their Iniquities when it declares unto such that Mercy and abundant Pardon belongs to them truly there is plain and sufficient warrant from Scripture for this Declaration To be absolved in the Court of Conscience is matter of great consolation and if Conscience draw its conclusions from Scripture-premises it may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong consolation such as has a firm basis and Foundation When Conscience does absolve much is contained in this Sentence it pronounces us free from punishment and also sentences a reward unto us it shuts Hell and opens Heaven for a reward and the greatest that can be conceived nay how great cannot be at present conceived is surely though freely promised unto them that are sincere Believers 'T is indeed a reward of Grace not of Debt but because of Grace therefore the more sure Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the Seed Conscience in Judging does Act as Gods Vice-gerent He himself will Judge at last as it if it have light and purity does Judge at present And those who are now acquitted in the Court of Conscience shall be also absolved at the great Tribunal The Apostle having said We have known and believed the Love that God hath to us presently speaks concerning boldness in the day of Judgment 1 John 4. 16 17. 2. Conscience as a Judge passes a Sentence of Condemnation (i) Exemplo quodcunque malo committitur ipsi Displicet authori prima est haec ultio quod se Judicè ne mo nocens absolvitur Juvenal Satyr 13. and this Sentence is passed upon the Impenitent the Hypocrites and the Unbelievers and because the Scripture does condemn these we may truly say that what Conscience binds on Earth is bound in Heaven I grant indeed that if Conscience should pass Sentence according to the Law of works every Child of Adam the Holy Child Jesus excepted would be condemned Hark what that Man after Gods own heart said Psal 130. 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity O Lord who shall stand And Psal 143. 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified His Conscience saw so much and God saw a great deal more of sin that in strictness of Law and Justice it told him he was a condemned Man But by the Law of Grace they who turn from sin and believe in Christ are acquitted But as for those who will not come to Christ that they may have Life but preferr their fleshly and worldly Lusts and those things wherewith these lusts are gratified before the Lord of Life and Glory as they are condemned by the Law of Works so likewise by the Law of Grace Conscience therefore doing its Office passes a dreadful Sentence upon them and tells them that the wrath of God abides on them John 3. ult But here 't will be needful to note a difference between Consciences condemning a sinner now and the Lords condemning him hereafter that Sentence which Christ will pronounce at the last day will be peremptory unalterable therefore that Judgment is called Eternal Judgment Heb. 6. 2. There is no appeal from that Tribunal no reversing of the Sentence but those that are then condemned Go they must and that immediately into everlasting punishment as the Righteous on the other hand into Life Eternal Mat. 25. ult But when Conscience does at present condemn a sinner it does not preclude and shut up the door of hope against him its Sentence of condemnation is but conditional in case
of continuance and obstinacy in sin But if the unbeliever will believe in Jesus and the impenitent will mourn for their Iniquities and turn from them to God then they shall no longer be under condemnation but as sin hath Reigned unto Death so shall Grace Reign through Righteousness unto eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 21. I have told you how the Office of Conscience is to Judge that is to acquit or condemn Now there are four things that come under this Judgment of Conscience Our Actions our Communication our Thoughts and Affections our Estate to God-ward 1. Conscience judges of our Actions and Conversation and if our Conversation be such as becomes the Gospel if we shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation then it says Well done But if we profess to know God and in Works deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work Reprobate Conscience condemns such doings and says many times in plain terms that our profession is but meer Mockery 2. Conscience judges of our Communication though words are commonly called wind yet Conscience does not make light of them It does approve of Holy and Edifying Discourse when out of the abundance of the Word of God in the heart the mouth speaketh that which is good and which may administer grace unto the hearers For when they that feared the Lord spake often one to another the Lord hearkned and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name Mal. 3. 16. But Conscience does condemn corrupt communication especially where the Tongue shews it self an unruly evil full of deadly poyson by that filthy talking lying swearing cursing backbiting which proceed out of the mouth And it does not stick to say The Tongue being not bridled all Religion is but vain James 1. 27. 3. Conscience judges of our Thoughts and Affections these as they ought to be agreeable to Rule so they come under censure The Law is so large that it reaches to our very Thoughts The wicked man is to forsake his thoughts as well as ways else he cannot be a sincere Convert nor obtain Mercy Isa 55. 7. Conscience here is very prying because these internal Acts these thoughts and desires and designs do very much discover what the heart is If wicked thoughts which are all vain and unprofitable and likewise hurtful are suffered to lodge in the heart and are delightful and welcome Guests to it 't is a sign the heart is unrenewed but if these thoughts when they arise in the heart are a burthen are conflicted with and help is implored against them that God himself would shew his power and bring them into Captivity this speaks the heart sanctified If there be a will and desire in the heart to sin though want of Opportunity or fear of Disgrace hinder the Act Conscience will condemn this as a transgression of the Law which does require inward Rectitude as well as outward Righteousness And on the other hand if there be a sincere desire and purpose to obey the Lord Conscience judges this to be Obedience because God is pleased to account it so Abraham is said by Faith to have Offered up his Son Isaac nay 't is twice said that he Offered him up Heb. 11. 17. when he onely had a purpose to have done it 4. Conscience does judge concerning our State to God-wà rd Whether we are or are not reconciled to him If we Live and walk after the Flesh if our main care is to provide for the Flesh and we account it our greatest happiness to fulfill the lusts of it and we are resolved to please our Flesh though God be never so much Angred truly Conscience may then judge our state to be bad But if we walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit if our hearts are renewed by the Spirit and in our lives we are led by him then Conscience may judge us to be in Christ and that there is therefore no condemnation to us Rom. 8. 1. I must here Observe that Conscience may condemn a particular Act when the Estate is not condemned David's carriage towards Vriah was very foul yet his state was not altered from Grace to Nature Asa his trusting in an Arm of Flesh and imprisoning the Prophet that rebuked him were Acts to be condemned yet his State was good and 't is said of him that his heart was perfect with God all his days 2 Chron. 15. 17. compared with Chap. 16. 2 3. 10. But if the state be bad all particular Acts must needs be bad also If the Tree be corrupt the Fruit will be like it for though Conscience may approve of some thing done by a man in a Natural state as being good for the Matter of it yet if it Judge aright it must condemn it as evil in regard of the Manner Thus have I at large explained the Definition which I gave of Conscience That it is a Power of the Soul in Man whereby we understanding the will of God are impelled to comply with it and do bear witness concerning our selves and Actions and accordingly Judge that is acquit or condemn our selves In the third place I am to assign the Reasons why the Lord has given unto Man a Conscience The Reasons are three 1. Conscience is given unto Man that it may be a remembrancer to put him in mind of God To remember God is mans great Duty he cannot begin too soon to do this therefore says Solomon Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth Eccles 12. 1. and after we have begun we must hold on for there can never be any good reason why the Lord should be forgotten How many Millions of things are there which are appointed to put us in mind of God The invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and God-head Rom. 1. 20. The Sun the Moon and all those thousands of shining Stars that our Eyes behold in the Firmament the Fowls that fly in the Air the Beasts of the Earth the great Sea and the Creatures that pass through the paths of it the Trees the Plants and Flowers that grow in the Field are all as so many remembrancers to bring God to the thoughts of the Children of Men so that they are without excuse if they forget him But besides all these there is a Monitor within something in their own Breasts and that 's Conscience which will be telling them of God which will be telling them of his Power and Presence and that which Conscience does inferr from hence is this Let all the Earth fear the Lord let all the Inhabitants of the World stand it awe of him Psal 33. 8. Conscience does Comment upon the Creatures How glorious is that God who made all these and he that made can also destroy and therefore
his Anger is to be dreaded He Rules and Governs the World He forms the Light and create◠Darkness he makes Peace and creates Evil and therefore surely 't is wisdom to please him and the height of madness to provoke him 2. Conscience is given to Man that it may put him in mind of his own great Interest and concern which is to secure his Soul and to provide for Eternity 'T is not without reason that the Natural Man is called flesh in Scripture Gen. 6. 3. The flesh does so prevail against the Soul as to take up his whole time and care His great enquiries are What shall I eat what shall I drink and wherewithall shall I be cloathed Mat. 6. 31. And thus he would live as if he had no Soul to save or lose if Conscience did not put him in mind of that precious Jewel which he is intrusted with and bring to his remembrance that of our Lord Jesus Mat. 16. 26. What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul Conscience tells us of a Soul which is of greatest value and which is in greatest danger It calls a Man a Fool for saying Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry thou hast Goods laid up for many Years Sumptuous Fare cannot satisfie the Souls hunger the most delicious Wines cannot quench the Souls thirst nor purple and fine Linnen cover the Souls Nakedness These things onely gratifie the senses but some thing that 's higher and more durable must be lookt after that may be a proper and sutable good unto the Soul of Man which is of a Spiritual and Immortal Nature and if you ask what that is I Answer the Eternal and All-sufficient God (k) Magnus es Domine laudabilis valde magna virtus tua sapientiae tuae non est numerus Tu excitas ut laudare te delectet quia fecisti nos ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescet in te Augustin Confes l. 1. c. 1. 3. Conscience is given to Man that it may tell him of his Duty and urge him to the performance of it Such is the corruption of Mans Nature that he hates Instruction and is apt to cast the Law of God behind his back Psal 50. 17. but Conscience observes what that Law requires and sayes 't is Holy just and good and therefore does protest against the Transgressing of it Conscience tells us that God is a better master than sin and Satan He rewards his Servants with Life and Joy but They theirs with Eternal Death and VVoe The Apostle speaks of all men even the Heathens that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The work of the Law written in their Hearts Rom. 2. 15. The Consciences of Men are the Tables where the Laws of God are written and Conscience is continually opening these Tables and commanding men to read and do their duty I grant indeed that there is a writing of the Law in the Heart which is promised in the new Covenant which all men have not but is peculiar to Believers and when this promise is made good to any not only are their minds enlightned but their hearts changed there is a sutablenesse between their renewed wills and the Laws of God so that now they are desirous to keep them as before they were violently bent to break them But the writing of the Law in the Conscience is commune and Conscience understands this Law that it may presse obedience to it 4. Conscience is given to man that it may warn and caution him against the Tempter It is as it were the Watchman which gives notice of this Enemies approach Of all the powers of the Soul the Devil does least like this for it does most withstand him When Satan promises great matters to those whom he tempts Conscience sayes that a Lyar is not to be believed Either he will not give what he promises or if he does what he gives had better not be given because 't is given to the sinners hurt ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gifts of Enemies are no gifts at all or worse then none When Satan pretends to aim never so much at our advantage or advancement or delight Conscience sees the Snake in the Grass and tells that the Devil is a Murtherer and in every temptation is carrying on a murtherous design against us When Satan comes with the sweet cup of sinful pleasures Conscience sayes Drink not for there is rank poyson in it When Satan transforms himself into a Friend and seems to consult our safety and ease and gain Conscience cryes out Take heed a Murtherer is neer you and therefore yield not to him give him no admission 5. Conscience is given unto Man that it may give Testimony to the Word of God and side with it against all carnal reasonings Affections Our Lord Jesus had to do with Hearers which were captious which were still ready to start their frivolous objections against himself and against his Doctrine as when he said if I be lifted up from the Earth that is Crucified I will draw all men to me they presently object Christ abideth for ever and how then can he be lifted up Joh. 12. 32. 34. Now he does not answer directly to their objection but applies himself to their Consciences and tells them 't was but a little while that the light was to be with them and therefore says he Walk while ye have the Light lest Darkness come upon you for he that walketh in Darkness knoweth not whither he goeth v. 35. So the Apostle did commend himself to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and adds if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4. 2 3. Conscience is more ready to close with Truth the Affections hang off because Truth does thwart them while they remain carnal The Consciences of the Jewes many of them were convinced that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah but their Hearts were against following of him for they loved the Praise of men more than the Praise God Joh. 12. 42 43. When a corrupt will sayes concerning a precept This is an hard saying 't is too strict Conscience will confesse 't is just and good to be obeyed When a carnal mind phansies absurdities (l) Prodigiosus certe humani ingenii furor quòd injustitiae potius Deum insimulat quam ut se coarguat caecitatis Calv. in Epist ad Rom. c. 9. v. 14. in the mysteries of the Gospel and says how can these things be Conscience is modest and replies that God is True and mans understanding is shallow and therefore man is to believe what God speaks for certain though he cannot fully comprehend it 6. Conscience is given unto man that this may side with the Lord when he passes Judgment at the great approaching day This day is called a day of the Revelation
thoughts I judge you sayes Conscience at present but One greater infinitely greater then I will judge you hereafter all must stand before his bar Hark what Solomon sayes Eccles 12. 13 14. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole of man for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil When Paul reasoned of Righteousnesse Temperance and Judgment to come Faelix trembled for his Conscience was convinced his Conscience judged him and condemned him as guilty of unrighteousnesse and he fears that God would much more condemn him 8. Is there a Conscience in Man learn what 't is that lays some restraint upon the lusts of Men and hinders them from running into such excess of Riot as Nature would incline them to When once sinners get victory over their Consciences and become past feeling then they give themselves over to Lasciviousnesse to work all Wickednesse and Vncleanness with greediness Eph. 4. 19. If there were no such thing as Conscience among the Sons of Men though the World is very bad yet it would be ten thousand times worse than ' t is Earth would be more a-kin to Hell though 't is too much too near a-kin already Vse II. Be excited to bless the Lord that he has given unto man such a Power as Conscience (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Genesin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alas we know not how to value Priviledges the Word of God is an inestimable blessing but who is thankful for it Nay most had rather be without it Conscience also is of admirable Use but most are troubled at it as if 't were a thing sent on purpose to torment them before the time But by several Arguments I shall make it evident that you have great cause to be thankful that God has placed Consciences in you 1. Conscience is such a Power as scaped but in mans fall of any other Faculty The will of Man is full of enmity against God and therefore his heart is said to be deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9. But though there is no good or rectitude in the heart yet there is some Light remaining in the Conscience and though the heart be extreamly evil willing to deceive willing to be deceived yet the Conscience has some kind of tenderness and faithfulness left in it unless by long custome in sin it be made senseless and stupid I readily yield that Conscience is corrupted also in a great measure by the Fall the Apostle tells us that unbelievers mind and Conscience is defiled Titus 1. 15. There is a great deal of difference between the Conscience of Adam in the state of Innocence and the Conscience of a Natural Man Conscience is less acquainted with the will of God than it was It has not that Power and Authority to command Obedience that once it had it is prone especially in some things to be erroneous and mistaking to urge to sin instead of Duty it does not with such strength and vigour oppose temptation as it ought But yet still 't is a great Mercy that Conscience does so much as it does the light of it might have been totally extinguished and the Lord might have suffered us to have run full-speed in our wicked ways to Destruction without any Monitor within to check or controul us 2. Conscience takes part with God against sin and Satan 'T was the saying of an Heathen Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience is a God unto all Mortal Men the reason is because it sides with God and assents to the equity of his Commands It declaims against sin and calls the Devil an Enemy who tempts to the commission of it and calls the sinner a Fool and Mad-man for yielding it consents unto the Law of God that it is good and is not satisfied if God be displeased if his Law be transgressed Oh let 's be thankful for Conscience for by endeavouring to hinder our departing from God and our provoking him to Anger It does consult our Peace our Profit our Happiness and would have us lifted up above those slavish fears which are so great a torment to the Soul reflecting upon its evil doings (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philemon Comicus intra Poet. Minor pag. 523. 3. Conscience takes part with the Soul against the Flesh It cannot patiently endure that a vile Body should be onely minded and a precious Soul totally neglected How often does Conscience upbraid us with this That if our Bodies lack Food we are extreamly sollicitous to provide for them and prevent their starving but our Souls may want Spiritual food Days Moneths Years together and yet we are not concerned That if our Bodies want Cloathing we are ashamed to be seen and are not contented till we have gotten Raiment to cover their Nakedness But our Souls may be Naked Wretched and Miserable And this Nakedness is perceived by the Holy Eye of God yet we blush not nor apply our selves to Christ for the white Robe of his Righteousness to cover them Finally That if our Bodies are Distempered we send for a Physitian and are eager to be Cured But our Souls may Labour under many Spiritual Plagues as Hardness Pride Covetousness Concupiscence which Distempers if not healed will prove Mortal in the worst sence and yet Christ the Physitian of Souls is not valued neither do we cry to be healed but seem rather to be fond of our Maladies (r) Quae laedunt oculos festinas demere siquid Est animum dâ—ffers curandi tempus in annum Horat. Epist 2. ad Lollium Thus Conscience does reproach us to make us ashamed of our Folly and grow wiser Withall telling us that if our Souls miscarry our Bodies hereafter must be tormented which now we are so tender of but if our Souls are secured the Body will be safe in the same bottom 4. Conscience of all other Powers does struggle most to prevent our Ruine or rather when our other Powers are forward to promote our Destruction Conscience endeavours to hinder it Man is his own chief Enemy and has the greatest hand in his own undoing O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Hos 13. 9. If you look into Scripture you will find how sinners are bent to transgress they will not be made clean all that is in them Conscience excepted joyns together to make them miserable Their eyes are full of Adultery and cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2. 14. Their Tongue is a fire a World of Iniquity that it defileth the whole Body and setteth on fire the course of Nature and is set on fire of Hell James 3. 6. Their Throat is an open Sepulchre the poyson of Aspes is under their lips Rom. 3. 13. They work Iniquity with both hands earnestly
fellowship with him that we endeavour to do that which is good in his sight And as we would escape his anger and his smoaking jealousie which will utterly consume us that we beware of that which is worst of evils sinning against him 2. Consider the Power of Conscience if we take Power for Authority God has given great Authority unto the Conscience And a Man must rather disobey Kings and Emperours then disobey Conscience Nebuchadnezzar commanded the three Children to Worship the Golden Image that he had set up Conscience commanded them to refuse to Worship it They obey Conscience and rather than Conscience should fly in their faces for idolatry they venture to be cast into a fiery furnace Dan. 3. If we take Power for Ability Conscience is a thing of greater force and strength If it be good how can it sweeten any condition though in it self never so calamitous but if Conscience be bad 't is sufficient to put gall and bitternesse into all your Comforts 3. If you heed Conscience 't is the way to have you and your Consciences agree together Conscience will dwell with you and you cannot help it Oh therefore hearken to it and satisfie it for this will be much for your own peace and satisfaction There is a twofold Peace which it highly concerns us to look after Peace above and Peace within Peace above with God we should be sollicitous about there is no contending with Him that is Almighty Let the Potsherds strive with the Potsherds of the Earth but wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Esa 45. 9. How earnest then should we be that being justified by Faith we may have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ And next unto peace with God we should endeavour after peace within even peace of Conscience and if we hearken and do what an enlightned Conscience commands and walk before God in Truth Conscience will speak Peace and that peace it will be true 4. Consider That in the hour of distresse and especially at the time of your dissolution the good Word of Conscience will do more good to you than all the World A cleer Conscience makes a triumphant Saint before he does expire Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is Peace Psal 37. 37. How many have lookt death in the face undaunted because Conscience has born witnesse to their sincerity * Melch. Adamus in vitâ Lutheri pag. 154 155. When Luther was sick of his last distemper and grew towards his end he waked at midnight and perceiving his Earthly Tabernacle was falling to the ground he brake forth into Thanksgiving to God for revealing Christ to him whom he believed whom he professed whom he loved whom he celebrated and whom the Pope with the Company of the wicked did persecute Then he prayed to his Heavenly Father to receive his spirit and added though I must now lay down this Body yet I know most certainly that I shall ever be with the Lord and none shall pluck me out of his hand Here was a Conscience cleer a Death without Fear and an abundant entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom 5. Heed Conscience for 't will go with you to the bar of God (t) Quando Deus judex erit alius testis quà m Conscientia tua non erit Inter Judicem justum Conscientiam tuam noli timere nisi causam tuam Augustin Enarrat in Psal 37. pag. mihi 323. and certainly 't will be sad to be followed to that Tribunal by a guilty Conscience crying out against you If Conscience excuse you and plead for you before your Judge how sweet and comfortable will that be if it produce sincere obedience and the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith to cover all your guilt and make up all your imperfections this will make you lift up your heads with joy and confidence But if Conscience does accuse you of impenitency in sin all your days though it often warned you to mourn and turn these accusations as they cannot be evaded so they will be unconceivably terrifying and confounding to you 6. Heed Conscience for 't will remain in you forever 't will be Eternally with the Saints in Glory After a Believer has fought the good fight has finished his course has kept the Faith has been acquitted at the judgement seat and has received the Crown of Righteousness then Conscience will be fully at rest Work is now done danger is now past and the possession of the inheritance is secured Rev. 3. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out Conscience also will be eternally with the reprobates in misery And as Job's Messengers did tell him that his Cattel were destroyed and his Substance taken away and they only were left alone to tell him So Conscience will speak after the same manner unto the damned O you self-destroying Sinners your consolation is all received your good things are come to an end your profits and Pleasures are quite fled away and gone And I only am left alone to tell you To tell you of your madness in loving sin in idolizing a vain World in slighting Salvation and bringing your selves notwithstanding all warnings into Eternal misery I have done with the first Doctrine That God has placed a Conscience in Man Doct. 2. The second Doctrine is this To have a good Conscience should be every one 's greatest care This is one end of the Commandement not onely that there may be Love a pure Heart and Faith unfeigned but also a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. so 1 Pet. 3. 16. Sanctifie the Lord God in your Hearts having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of Evil doers they may be ashamed who falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ 'T is the observation of Augustine (u) Ecce quid prodest plena bonis arca inanis Conscientia Bona vis habere bonus non vis esse Non vides te erubescere debere de bonis tuis si domus tua plena est bonis te habet malum Quid enim est quod velis habere malum Nihil omnino non uxorem non filium non filiam non servum non ancillam non villam non tunicam postremò non caligam tamen vis habere malam vitam August De verbis Domini Serm. 12. pagin mihi 57. Tom. 10. that Men are willing to have all things else good but their Consciences are bad and they themselves are Evil. There is no man but desires his Wife should be good his Children good his Servants good the House that he dwells in good the An he lives in good the Food he eats good the Clothes he wares good he does not care to have any thing bad about him How comes it to passe that he is too well content to have a bad Conscience within him This is our natural
assurance of understanding Col. 2. 2. Conscience which is good is certain both of the mysteries of Faith and the duties of Religion and entertains the one and urges unto the doing of the other This certainty is opposed unto dubiousness when the Conscience through infirmity and weakness is at a loss and knowes not what to do in some cases Just as a man Travelling meets with two ways and knows not which is the right when he turns to the right hand he doubts and so turns to the left and when he turns to the left Hand he doubts whether that will bring him to his journies end and so is ready to turn back to the right again Saints themselves may thus be in doubt sometimes but this is no part of the goodnesse of their Conscience but an Argument onely of their weakness And in this case as the Lord is earnestly to be sought to make their way plain before them So they are to follow the Footsteps of the Flock and in those doubtful matters to observe which way the Holiest and best both of Ministers and Saints do go and to accompany them When the Spouse sayes Teâ—l me O thou whom my Soul loves where thou feedest where thou makest thy Flocks to rest at Noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the Flocks of thy Companions Christ answers If thou would'st know O thou fairest among Women go thy way forth by the footsteps of the Flock and feed thy Kids beside the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1. 7 8. and So Prov. 2. 20. That thou mayest walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the Righteous Misapprehend me not I do not make this a general rule that we are in all things to follow good men But where the Conscience doubts on both hands and is afraid it sins which side soever it takes In this case the Footsteps of the Flock are to be minded and we must keep close to the Shepherds Tents and being humble and teachable this weaknesse and dubiousness may be cured and the Lord may bless means of instruction to make us see that plainly which before we were in the dark about 4. The knowledge of a Conscience is satisfying in opposition unto scrupulousnesse As wisdome is profitable so also delightful Prov. 2. 10. When wisdom enters into thy Heart and Knowledge is pleasant to thy Soul As there is great contentment when the will embraces and enjoys good so there is great satisfaction when the understanding and Conscience have found out and do entertain Truth But on the other hand scrupulousness is very tormenting These scruples are things which arise from weak and sometimes from no ground at all and the Lord does permit Believers themselves to be exercised with them to correct former sins against Conscience and also to try their present tenderness In Melancholy persons these scruples are most frequent and in them whose knowledge is but small A scurpulous Conscience differs from a doubting in that a doubting is afraid on both hands a scrupulous is satisfied on one part but is sollicitous and full of fear in reference to the other He had a scrupulous Conscience that did question the lawfulness of eating all things but he was satisfied concerning eating Herbs Rom. 14. 2. Now this scrupulousness is really a fault as well as a vexation of Conscience and therefore by well weighing of things and diligent looking into the word and not making more sins than the word declares to be so and by understanding better our Christian liberty we should endeavour to be rid of our needless scruples These scruples if we take not heed will be so much attended to as that weightier matters may be neglected they will make the service of the Lord lesse comfortable and Satan will get advantage to represent his yoak as the more heavy and burthensome But when Conscience is freed from these 't is just as if a stone should be taken out of our shooe (y) Conscientia scrupulosa nomen habet à scrupo qui est lapillus in calceo hominem laedens in incessu impediens Bald. de Consc l. 1. c. 10. with greater ease and chearfulness we shall go nay Run in the way of Gods Commandments 5. The knowledge of a good Conscience is operative and incites to practice That passage of our Lord is deeply engraven upon a good and honest heart Joh. 13. 17. If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Barely to know will not make us happy nay 't will make us more miserable because more inexcusable Though a good Conscience eyes the obedience and sufferings of Christ and there is an hope of acceptation and pardon only upon that account yet because by Faith the Law is not made void but established therefore it urges obedience to the Law The Covenant of Grace having first said Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved in a qualified sence also sayes Do this and Live Sincere obedience is required or else Life will never be obtained Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandements that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City The Light of a good Conscience urges to the casting off the works of Darknesse and to walk circumspectly and to do this without delay As the Egyptians when their first-born were destroyed hastned the Israelites to be gone for said they we be all Dead men So Conscience hastens us to part with such a deadly thing as sin and bids us not delay to keep Gods Righteous Judgements You see what kind of knowledge is that of a good Conscience but here the great enquiry will be how may Conscience be well informed and this kind of knowledge obtained 1. That Conscience may be well informed the Scripture must be well searched Holy men of old digged in this Mine for knowledge and found their labour well bestowed The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is Sure making Wise the simple Psal 19. 7 There is more of God revealed and made known in a leaf of the Bible than in the whole Book of Nature Horace does commend Homer the Writer of the Trojan War upon this account Qui quid sit pulchrum quid turpe quid utile quid non Pleniùs meliùs Chrysippo Crantore dixit Because he tells best of all what is Fair and Lovely and what is Foul and Filthy what is Profitable and what is Hurtful But what are Homers Writings compared with the Holy Scripture This this does most fully inform the Conscience what is good and what is evill and what will do us good and what will be evil and injurious to us The Scripture must be searched we must look beyond the surface Truth sometimes lies deep therefore Solomon uses that expression Prov. 2. 4. 5. If thou seekest her as Silver and searchest for her as for hid Treasures then
controul the commands of the highest Potentates on Earth if they agree not with the Law of God Darius makes a Law that none should ask any Petition of any God or Man for thirty dayes together but only of himself who was the King Dan. 6. 7. 9. But Daniels Conscience told him that that Law which did restrain prayer from the God of Heaven was impious and therefore though the penalty was being cast into the Lyons Den He went to his House and he opened his Window to shew he was not afraid or ashamed either of his God or of his service and he kneeled upon his knees and three times a day prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore-time v. 10. VVhen the Jewsh rulers laid injunctions upon the Apostles which were contrary to what Christ had enjoyned they speak thus Whether it be right in the sight of God that we should obey you rather than God judge ye Act. 4. 19. But here I must add that when the Commands of Magistrates are broken because against Conscience we had need to look to it that Conscience have sufficient warrant from the VVord of God For though we suffer never so peaceably and patiently the penalty which humane Laws inflict 't is no reputation to the Government that the Lawes are such as good men and Consciencious cannot comply with and of this reputation so far as possibly we may we ought to be very tender Certainly we are to obey Magistrates and to be ready unto every goodwork and onely when they command evil are we exempted from obedience 2. Conscience has authority and power to cross our secular interest though the gain if unlawful which is offered be never so great In all debates concerning profit God allows Conscience a Negative voice Those pleas for unlawful courses which are urged from the advantageousness of them Conscience sayes are naught and that it is a mad venture to hazzard the salvation of the soul for a little of the Mammon of unrighteousness When Achitophel gave counsel to Absalom which was likely to destroy David Absalom sayes let us hear what Hushai the Archite also advise 2 Sam. 17. 5. Hushai answers ver 7. The counsel of Achitophel is not good So when the carnal minde does counsel not to stand upon strict points of honesty where gain is to be gotten Conscience will deal plainly and say this counsel is not good (z) Isre tibi meliùs suadet qui ut rem facias rem Si possis recte si non quocunque modo rem Horat. Epist. 1 for they that will thus be rich do fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition The corrupt mind indeed which is destitute of the truth does suppose that gain is Godliness but the good Conscience thwarts it and sayes Godliness with contentment is great gain 3. Conscience has authority and power to prohibit and forbid the practice of the most beloved sin Concerning a Delilah or an Herodias 't will say 'T is not lawfull for thee to have her As in the natural body whatever the constitution be there is a mixture of all the four humours but one usually is predominant from whence a man is denominated Sanguine or Phlegmatick or Cholerick or Melancholick So in the body of sin though there are the seeds of all wickedness yet some particular corruption commonly is most prevalent Now conscience has authority to strike at this that is the favorite Conscience told David he could not be upright before God unless he kept himself from his own iniquity and therefore he abstained from it Psal 18. 23. The sin that naturally is most beloved there is most reason to hate it for God is most dishonoured and the soul is most defiled and endangered by it And if Conscience may make bold to check Temptations to the most beloved sins surely it may caution against any sin whatsoever and indeed it does not go beyond its authority when it forbids as much as God himself does for it is Gods under-officer to prevent as much as may be all trangression 4. Conscience has power and authority to enjoyn the most difficult duties 'T is difficult to ponder the path of our feet and in all places and relations and capacities and employments to walk circumspectly 't is difficult to set a watch before the door of our lips that sinful and idle words come not out which will but tend to make our account sad at the day of judgement 't is difficult especially to keep our hearts with all dilligence that God may have them and the world and sin may not run away with them How much pains will it cost us to conflict with wicked and impertinent thoughts to observe the first stirrings of corruption and to quench these sparks presently before they be blown up into a flame to engage in a constant combate with the flesh which is continually lusting against the Spirit But though all this be difficult and the flesh cryes out These are hard sayings yet Conscience urges to it and puts us in minde that the word is the more to be loved because 't is very pure Psal 119. 140. and that the more we keep from sin the greater is our freedom perfection peace 5. Conscience has Power and Authority to presse unto the greatest hardships and sufferings for Christs sake The Gospel is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the VVord of the Crosse 1 Cor. 1. 18. not onely because it Preaches Christ Crucified but also a conformity to him as crucified And as our Lord was Crucified before he was glorified so we must be willing to take up the Cross that we may come to the Kingdom to follow him in his Temptations that we may follow after him to the Throne Conscience tells us that there is no reason to be offended in Christ for he never calls us to part with any thing but what is vain nor to endure any thing but what he will sanctifie and sweeten to us and we are not to think much of afflictions that are but light that are but for a Moment that work for us and that work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. And when tempted in the time of persecution to fall away Conscience also layes before us the wrath of God which is ten thousand times more dreadful than the wrath of persecutors and 't will be but a poor relief to be delivered out of their hands and to fall into the hands of the Living God VVhen Spira against his Conscience had renounced the Protestant Religion and in VVord had publickly owned the Romish corruptions Alas what did he get by it the torments of his Conscience were worse than any Inquisition and the despair he was overwhelmed with made his condition worse than if he had endured the very uttermost of Papal cruelty Some of his words were these What a dangerous thing is it to
dissemble upon any terms in those matters where the Glory of God is concerned what a fearful thing is it to be neer and almost a Christian Oh that God â—ould let loose his hand from me that it were with me now as in times past I would scorn the threats of the most cruel Tyrants bear torments with invincible resolution and Glory in the outward profession of Christ till I were choaked in the flame and my Body consumed to ashes Thus great is the Power and Authority of Conscience and a good Conscience does Exercise this Authority but because the Consciences of most seem to have lost all Power therefore I shall direct you how this Power of Conscience may be put forth with vigour VVould you be under the Power and Authority of Conscience then 1. Meditate upon this how Holy and equal the Law is Since we are reasonable Creatures 't is fit we be govern'd by some Law or other (a) Omnium quae in hominum Doctorum disputatione versantur nihil est profecto praestabilius quam plane intelligi nos ad justitiam esse natos neque opinione sed naturâ Jus constitutum esse Cicero de leg 1. p. 221. and what Laws are comparable to the Law of God man stands in need of a Law that may put bounds to his Will and Affections as well as regulate his Conversation humane Laws onely reach the latter but the Law of God principally requires Holiness in the former The Angels themselves are not without a Law the Apostate ones transgressed it and were cast down to Hell God spared not the Angels that sinned 2 Pet. 2. 4. the Elect Angels are affirmed to do the Commandements of God and to hearken to the Voice of his Word Psal 103. 20. And truly all the Commands of the Lord are Holy just and good the more we obey these the greater is our Liberty and freedom from the Power and Tyranny of Sin and Satan unto whom whosoever are subject they are defiled degraded debased and made miserable by that subjection 2. Consider not only the equalnesse of the Law but the greatness and goodness of the Lawgiver Conscience tells you of a Lord who has right to rule you He has given you your Being and upholds you in your Being you could not live or move or be without him And therefore by all right imaginable he is your owner and your Governour We are Debtors says the Apostle not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if we live after the flesh we shall dye Rom. 8. 12 13. he does not expresly say we are Debtors to God this was so evident there was no need to express it The Lord is so great that he may claim obedience from us for we owe him whatever we have and are and his goodness does fully match his greatness He is Optimus Maximus there is abundant reason then why you should listen unto Conscience pressing you to give him the pre-eminence before all other Lords whatsoever No King comparable to the King of Saints how ready is he to defend them how much does he consult his subjects welfare 3. Would you be under the Authority and Power of Conscience fix this upon your Spirits that a good Conscience alwayes uses its Power for your good I may here apply those words which the Apostles uses concerning Magistrates Wilt thou not be afraid of this Power do that which is good and thou shalt have Praise of the same for Conscience is the Minister of God to thee for good Name a sin which a rightly informed Conscience does bid thee abstain from which is not really a mischievous and hurtful as well as a moral evil and thou hast leave to keep it Name a duty which such a Conscience urges which is not for thy profit and thou shalt never be blamed for the omission of it What the Lord wishes Conscience speaks over again Oh that there were an Heart in you that you would fear your God and keep all his Commandments alwayes that it might be well with you forever Deut. 5. 29. Conscience aimes at this perpetually that it may be well with you and well for ever with you nay even then when it puts you upon the suffering of penal evils it does design your good they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake receive an hundred fold in this Life they have so much of grace and of the Presence of God as is an hundred-fold better than any thing that 's taken from them then in the World to come they are assured of everlasting Life 4. Think seriously of the destructiveness of those courses which Conscience would hinder you from taking Thou art not able to hurt the Lord by thy iniquity the Clouds are higher than thou but He is infinitely higher than the Clouds If thou sinnest what doest thou against him says Elihu or if thy transgressions are multiplyed what doest thou unto him Job 35. 5 6. His blessedness is so great and out of the reach of any Creature that by sin thou art not able to disturb it though failing in Duty towards him thou art justly punished So that thou hurtest not him but thy self by sin Do they provoke me to anger saith the Lord Do they not provoke themselves to the Confusion of their own Faces Death is at the end of the broad way says Conscience and therefore go no longer no further in that way but turn thy Feet into the way of Peace If thou goest on still in thy trespasses thy Feet really go down to Death and thy steps will most certainly at length take hold on Hell 5. Would you be under the Power and Authority of Conscience Beg that the Lord himself would stand by and assist this his own Officer and then its Authority will be Exercised to purpose Then strong holds and Imaginations will be cast down and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowlege of God and every thought will be brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. When the under-Officer is opposed an higher Magistrate comes with a greater force to help him in the discharging of his Duty If the King himself with a great Military power should be ready to assist a Constable supposing he were resisted none would then dare to withstand When the God of Heaven does Second and strengthen Conscience then all within a Man bows before it and yields unto it As 't is the presence of God and his gracious concourse that does bring Faith and Love and other Holy habits of the Soul into powerful exercise so 't is this which does make Conscience vigorously to do its Office That 's the Second thing implied in a good Conscience The due Exercise of its Authority and Power 3. The goodness of Conscience lies in its being wakeful and attentive What Physitians say concerning Melancholy that it has a tendency either to stupifaction or to distraction may truly be affirmed concerning sin that it has
Conscience Flatter us it will but injure us if it deal Faithfully though it speak never so terribly it may do us a great kindness You must know that a good Conscience may Accuse as well as Excuse It Accuses indeed of evil but 't is not evil that it does Accuse (i) Neque magis vitio verti potuit conscientiae postea cùm juste accusavit condemnavit quà m ipsi legi Judici summo qui idem fecit post ingressum peccati non ante Tantum vero abest conscientiae accusatio justa ab omni justâ reprehensione ut a peccatoribus imprimis requiratur tanquam unica via de peccatis admissis agendi paenitentiam Ames De Conscien l. 1. c. 12. but a part of its Duty and truly this is Necessary unto our Humiliation and Amendment 1. The Accusations of a good Conscience are just sin is the ground of those Accusations and the better the Conscience is the more immediately there will be a smiting of the heart after the prevailing of a Temptation Thus David's heart quickly smote him after he had numbred the People and he said I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the Iniquity of thy Servant for I have done very Foolishly 2 Sam. 24. 10. And when a good Conscience Accuses 't is not easily satisfied 't will not be quiet till there be a confession of sin before God a loathing of it and pardon and healing are obtained through our Lord Jesus While David kept silence that is refused ingenuously to confess his fault his Conscience was clamorous and his Bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long and his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer Psal 32. 3 4. but at length he has Peace v. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee and my Iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my sin Selah 2. And as the Accusations of a good Conscience are just so it will Excuse if there be good Reason for it It will call Grace Grace if it be true though it be but weak God does not despise the day of small things neither ought Conscience It ought not by taking notice onely of sin and over-looking the Spirits work in the Soul to go about to break the bruised Reed and quench the smoaking Flax. It must be granted that Believers Consciences do bring in a false Testimony against them at some seasons and they make bold to call themselves Hypocrites and to affirm that there is nothing in them but what may be found in Reprobates But this is no part of Consciences goodness and they are to be reproved because upon every light ground they are so apt to question their Estate and to rank themselves among the Hypocrites in doing thus they gratifie Satan exceedingly and hinder their own Edification because they are ever questioning whether the Foundation be rightly laid and God has little or no thanks from them though in giving them the least measure of saving Grace he has done more for them than if he had put Scepters into their hands and Crowns of pure Gold upon their Heads But you will ask how may Conscience be made thus Faithful in its Testimony I Answer 1. If you would have Conscience bear witness truly neither add unto nor diminish from the Word of God Call not those Sins which are not transgressions of his Laws and call not those Duties which he never commanded God has so fully revealed his mind in his Word that whatever is not expresly contained in it or by firm consequence deducible from it Conscience is not to take notice of either as Truth or Duty Look not into false Glasses which Satan will be apt to set before you The Scripture is the true Glass and 't is the thankful Glass too which mends the eyes of them that look into it 2. Look well into your selves be willing to take notice of the evil in you as well as the good and which is needful to be added for the sake of humbled Souls be willing to Observe that good which God has wrought in you as well as the evil which you labour under 3. Let it be your earnest request at the Throne of Grace that your own Hearts may not deceive you As Satan is a lying Spirit so your own Spirits are false to you and are ready to joyn with him God is able to discover you unto your selves though the Heart be so deceitful above all things that the Prophet crys out who can know it Yet the Lord searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins Jer. 17. 10. 4. Be willing that Conscience should speak truth whether that truth make for you or against you That was a bad temper of Ahab who hated Micajah because he Prophesied not good concerning him but evil 1 Kings 22. 8. and because he could not endure to hear of Evil at length he feels it and there was no Remedy When Conscience does speak most against you in some Respects 't is for you because whatever you aile there is a Remedy provided in the Gospel To know the truth of your Condition if it be bad does not make it worse but is one good step unto the alteration of it for the better That 's the Fifth thing A good Conscience is Faithful in Witness-bearing 6. The goodness of Conscience lies in the purity of it Nothing in the Soul of Man can be said to be good in a Scripture-sence unless purged for as the whole Soul is Corrupted by Nature so renovation in the whole is needful our Understandings are not good till Sanctified to depart from evil is Vnderstanding our Affections are not good till cleansed our Consciences are not good till purged I do not I dare not affirm that this purity of Conscience in this Life is so compleat as to exclude all manner of defilement in this sence who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Prov. 20. 9. But that which the Gospel accounts purity of Conscience lies in these particulars 1. Where the Conscience is pure no sin is concealed or covered If we cover sin God will not cover it we shall not be of the Number of those Blessed ones whose Transgressions are forgiven whose Iniquities are covered and to whom the Lord will not impute sin A pure Conscience therefore without any guile or reservation confesses all before God and as it confesses all it knows so 't is willing to know more that more may be acknowledged and bewailed Job among other Arguments uses this and 't was a strong one to prove the purity of his Conscience that he had not covered his Transgression as Adam by hiding his Iniquity in his Bosom Job 31. 33. He that conceals a Thief sides with him and he that hides sin 't is a sign his heart is not turned from it A pure Conscience is free and
open does not mince or extenuate but aggravate Iniquity It can appeal to God concerning its unwillingness to conceal any of his Enemies for Mens Lusts are Gods Enemies and their own too and it can challenge Satan to Name a sin which 't is not ready to acknowledge 2. When the Conscience is pure every sin is hated Hatred is never better placed than upon sin Our Brother is not to be hated nay we are forbid to hate our Enemy but sin we may hate without sparing David tells us that through Gods Precepts he got Vnderstanding therefore he hated every false way Psal 119. 104. By the Word his Conscience was Informed and Sanctified and this Universal Hatred of sin followed Hatred is an Affection which aims at Destruction and when 't is high 't is against the whole kind Thus Haman hated Mordecai and thought it scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone but sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdom of Ahasuerus even the People of Mordecai Esth 3. 6. The pure Conscience strikes at the whole kind of sin (k) Est intentio Odii nocere nec cessat in laesione peccati sed in exterminio verè poenitens juratus est in mortem peccatorum Guil. Parisiensi De Rhetor. divin c. 23. where-ever 't is whether in the Mind in the Will in the Affections in Word in the Actions What Moses speaks concerning Idolatry it does apply unto all sin Deut. 7. 26. Thou shalt utterly detest it and thou shalt utterly abhor it for it is a cursed thing 3. When the Conscience is pure The whole Image of God is desired and that the Soul may be like unto him in all things wherein 't is its Duty to resemble him What the Moral Philosophers say concerning the Mortal Vertues that they are inter se concatenatae that they are linked together holds certainly true concerning those Graces which are wrought by the Spirit of God they are so linked together that you cannot have one in truth but you must have all in some measure This is a sweet Truth to a pure Conscience for all Grace is longed after Therefore Christ's fulness is eyed and prized and application is made to him that out of that fulness we may receive and Grace for Grace John 1. 16. That is that we may receive Graces answerable to those Graces which Christ has received of his Father for us Thus the Wax does receive Character for Character from the Seal and the Child Member for Member from the Father though not of the same bigness and proportion The pure Conscience is not double minded 't is not partly for God and partly for Mammon partly for Christ and partly for Satan But this is the desire that the God of all Grace would work every Grace in Truth and make all Grace more and more to abound 4. When the Conscience is pure the Mystery of Faith is held fast The Apostle joyns Faith and a good Conscience together 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made ship-wrack And 1 Tim. 3. 9. Holding the Mystery of the Faith in a pure Conscience Whoever are truly purified do prize the Gospel and the Mysteries of it they admire the contrivance of Mans Redemption by Christ Jesus and are perswaded since his Blood is the Blood of God that 't is sufficient to purchase lost Souls and to purchase the lost Inheritance The Mystery of Regeneration they are acquainted with and the absolute Necessity of it And though Justification by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ be Argued against as absurd by deluded Papists and their wretched followers though the work of the Spirit in renewing changing of the Heart be derided by Profane Wits nay by some that would be accounted Masters in Israel A pure Conscience notwithstanding retains these Mysteries Thus the Church of Pergamus though they dwelt where Satans Seat was yet they held fast Christs Name and did not deny his Faith and that even in those days wherein the Faithful Martyr Antipas was slain among them Rev. 2. 13. 5. Where Conscience is pure God is Served in sincerity and there is a willingness to live honestly The Apostle tells us that he Served God from his Fore-Fathers with a pure Conscience 2 Tim. 1. 3. he did not Preach a new God but the same which Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets were the Servants of This God he Served with a perfect Heart and with a willing Mind his Conscience did bear him witness that his very Soul was engaged in the Lords Work and that he was very well pleased both with his Master and with that business which his Master had Employed him in and they were not his own things but the things of his Lord which were sought by him And as a pure Conscience engages to the Service of God so to the living honestly Heb. 13. 18. We trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Where such a Conscience is that of the Apostle is heeded Rom. 13. 12 13. The night is far spent the day is at hand that is the present time which is compared to the night because most are asleep in it and much wickedness lies hid and is not yet disclosed the present time is far spent is almost come to an end and the day is at Hand that is the day of Judgement when all secrets will be brought to Light Let us therefore cast off the works of Darkness and let us put on the Armour of Light let us walk honestly as in the day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in strife and Envying and make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof 6. VVhere Conscience is pure a greater measure of Holiness is aspired unto and endeavoured after Though sin does remain in a sanctified Heart yet does it not remain quietly Conscience deals hardly with it as Sarah did with Hagar Abrahams Egyptian Concubine and is not satisfied till 't is turned out of doors though Grace is incompleat yet compleatness is desired the promises of Sanctification are lookt upon as very great and precious and they are pleaded that the Divine Nature may more and more be partaken of by them the Corruption that is in the world through lust more fully escaped A pure Conscience will not suffer us to rest in that Grace which is already attained but causes us to presse towards the mark and to cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. But now it is to be inquired How Conscience may be made thus pure unto which I answer 1. The Word of God is like a fire to purifie Jer. 23. 29. Is not my Word like Fire saith the Lord and like an Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces the word is compared to an Hammer because as the hammer does
(q) As dirty hands foul all they touch And those things most which are most pure and fine So our clay-hearts ev'n when we crouch To sing thy praises make them less divine Yet either this Or none thy portion is Herb. Misery p. 93. 6. Till Conscience be good how extreamly dangerous is our Estate We are the Children of Wrath the Sons of Death Condemned already not sure to be a day or hour out of that place of Torment where the Worm does not dye and the Fire none can quench When the Lord speaks to the Ungodly his mouth is full of threatnings his words are woes and curses and not one syllable of Encouragement or hope does he give them as long as they are resolved to continue in their wickedness Indeed if they are willing to have their Consciences and Conversations cleansed then he declares himself inclined to Mercy and to make them white as Wool or Snow though before red like Scarlet or like Crimson Isa 1. 16. 18. But as long as Conscience is secure and the sinner is resolved and obstinate alas God is angry with him every day the Vial is continually filling fuller and more wrath is treasured up against the day of wrath If the sinner turn not the Lord hath whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready and who knows how soon the Arrow may be shot that may dispatch the sinner in the twinkling of an Eye and both kill and damn together 7. If Conscience be not good how great and intolerable may be the torture of it when it is awakened Solomon tells us That the Spirit of a Man may sustain his Infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can bear These wounds are made by sin as the Meritorious caus e and by the hand of God himself as an Holy Righteous Dreadful Sin-revenging Majesty The buffetings of Satan indeed are sometimes very troublesome and terrible but what are the buffetings of a Creature if compared with the blows and wounds of Him that is Almighty When God shall say to a sinful soul Behold I am against thee Ezek. 5. 8. When God shall run upon a Transgressor as a Giant and break him with breach upon breach surely his hands will not be strong his heart will not be able to endure 'T was a saying of Luther (q) Animus malè sibi conscius potiùs in mille rerum formas verteretur ac citiùs per saxa per ignes per ahaeneos montes denique ad Diabolum ipsum ferretur quam ad Deum accederet Luther Tom. 1. In Genes c. 43. That an evil Conscience being indeed wounded had rather be turned into a thousand forms had rather venture upon Rocks and Flames Mountains of brass nay upon the Devil himself than have to do with God The Design of which passage is to shew how terrible the Lord is unto a guilty and enraged Conscience Such are said to be Drunken but not with Wine unless it be the Wine of Astonishment and they are compared to a wild Bull in a Net being full of the Fury of the Lord and the Rebuke of God Isa 50. 20 21. If you look into Scripture you may find the Saints themselves complaining of these wounds in their Consciences Listen to Job Chap. 6. 2 3 4. O that my grief were throughly weighed and my Calamity laid in the Balances together For now it would be heavier thâ—â— the sand of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up for the Arrows of the Almighty are within me the Poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me The Psalmist speaks to the same purpose Psal 88. 14 15 16. Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy Face from me I am Afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrors have cut me off And if Saints have drank so deep of this Cup of Trembling oh how bitter may it be to sinners (r) Est intus animi vigor Arce conditus abditâ Haec venena potentius Detrahunt hominem sibi Dira quae penitus meant Nec nocentia corpori Mentis vulnere saeviunt Boetius l. 4. Met. 3. pag. mihi 122. As therefore you would avoid the Lords contending with you which will make your spirits fail before him it should be your care to have a good Conscience 8. A good Conscience as it will make those that have it to be better and better themselves so it will render them exceedingly beneficial and make them blessings unto others A good Conscience like Rebecca of old is weary of the Daughters of Heth and is not satisfied unless the Flesh be like the house of Saul growing weaker and weaker and the Spirit be like the house of David growing stronger and stronger Conscience puts the Saints upon following on to know the Lord and following harder after him and though the least Grace deserve Infinite and Eternal thanks and Conscience urges unto praise yet withall it adds that the highest measures of Holiness are not to be rested in but still there must be a growing up into Christ in all things untill we arrive unto a perfect stature in his Kingdom A good Conscience will also make us publick Blessings unto others (s) Vir bonus est commune bonum It considers we are not Born or New-born onely for our selves It will make us beneficial to the Church and to the World 1. To the Church If there were more of Conscience it would hinder Animosities Contentions Divisions Declinings the decay of Love and of the Power of Godliness Conscience is for Peace and Unity and for walking as Saints and Brethren Mens Passions and Interests put them upon those courses that tend to Dividing and Destroying the Church of Christ 2. To the World A good Conscience will make us to put on Bowels and to compassionate Mankind 't will hinder us from Offending them and hardening them against Religion 't will make us pray for and endeavour the gaining and saving of them It will cause our Light so to shine before Men that they seeing our good Works may Glorifie our Father which is in Heaven and at length they may be brought to desire to become themselves of the Number of his Children I have done with the Reasons of the Doctrine I come now to the Application VSE 1. Shall be of Reproof If it should be the care of all to have a good Conscience alas whose heart may not smite him who has not Reason to acknowledge that a sharp Reproof is but justly due Conscience in these last and worst days seems to have left the Earth and truly till there are better Consciences there may not be better days or if there should be better times they would but prove a Judgment For if Mens Hearts are stupid under Adversity Prosperity is not likely to awaken them The Lord looks down from Heaven
destruction I would here propose these three things unto them whose Consciences are of so great a latitude 1. This largeness of Conscience argues great contempt of God and of his Will there is not a standing in aw of him and of his word His word is very strict his commands holy and requires that we should walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly and circumspectly this is to be wise to do otherwise is to discover the most dangerous folly Eph. 5. 15. What manner of persons sayes the Apostle ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. But notwithstanding all this large consciences live at random as if preciseness were more ado than needs and as if the Lord did but jest in his Holy Precepts and those terrible threats which back them but they to their cost shall find and feel he is in good earnest 2. This largeness of Conscience is a shrewd sign that sinners are in the broad way They that can swallow camels 't is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than for them to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven The Scribes and Pharisees of old did omit the weightier matters of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith But Christ does denounce a wo unto them Mat. 23. 23. Largeness of Conscience discovers a great carelessness of the soul and too great an indifferency what becomes of it for ever And what souls are likely to miscarry if such be not We must work out our Salvation with fear and trembling if we will be saved 3. The larger Conscience is and the more is swalowed at present the greater hereafter will the account be We are all Stewards which must shortly give an account of our stewardship and though a◠present some like the steward in the Gospel many take their Bills and write Fourscore or Fifty for an Hundred Yet our Lord who will call us to an Account will be exact in reckoning and cannot be deceived by us His judgement is according to Truth Rom. 2. 2. And oh how many things will he condemn at the last day which sinners defend at present 'T will be indeed a day of Light and Manifestation both of things and persons Many persons that went for Saints will then be unmasked and found Hypocrites and have their sad portion with the Hypocrites And many things that where counted no sins will be found great sins and the lighter they were made of the more heavy and damnable they will prove unto the sinner A large Conscience therefore take heed of Attend unto the Law and to the Testimony which does discover evil and be afraid of every evil way 3. They are to be reproved whose Consciences are at peace but that peace has no solid and good foundation The most of sinners in the world have this false peace in their own Spirits sometimes they are a little awakened but are quickly hushed asleep again by that evil One who does destroy souls by thousands and by millions by carnal security Transgressors when first they venture upon sin their Consciences recoyl upon them but by degrees they grow senselesse Custom in sin and Quiet in sin do go commonly together (t) Primùm quando homo peccat videtur ei importabile processu temporis grave videtur paulo post leve judicat cùm crebris ictibus verberetur vulnera non sentit verbera non attendit In brevi vero temporis spacio non solùm non sentit sed placet dulce fit quod amarum erat asperum vertitur in suave Ad extremum non potest avelli quia consuetudo vertitur in naturam quod priùs ad faciendum erat impossibile jam impossibile est ad continendum Bernard De Consc c. 3. pag. 1109. One of the Fathers does excellently describe how the ungodly arrive unto this false peace At first sayes he sin does seem intolerable afterwards onely heavy after that being frequently given way to and Conscience stunned by many wounds makes no great matter of them in process of time sin is not burthensome at all but pleasant at last 't is turned into a second nature and the sinner can no more be drawn from it than the Ethiopian can change his skin or the Leopard his spots Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil A great many not onely Profane but Professors are concerned in this reproof and have no better than a false peace of Conscience Here therefore I am to shew what that peace of Conscience is which is false and also how unreasonable it is to give entertainment to it A false peace of Conscience I shall describe to you in these particulars 1. That peace of Conscience is false where Sin and Misery were never seen They who never perceived any harm in sin and wonder why the Lord in his word does speak so much against it and why his Ministers cannot let men quietly alone in the commission of it who never lookt so far as to behold that eternal death and destruction that is threatned to be brought upon the workers of iniquity these are at peace because they do not apprehend what reason they have to be troubled there is sufficient cause of grief and fear and horrour onely they want an eye to see it so as to be indeed affected There are some that are such fools as to make a mock of sin and count it a pastime to do wickedly These do no more understand what sin is nor the Hell which the Holy God has entail'd upon it than the mad-man understands what he does when he casts Fire-brands and Arrows and Death and saith am I not in sport Prov. 26. 18. Others though far from being indeed justified think they are righteous though sick after a deadly manner yet imagine they are whole and undervalue the great Physitian Both these sort of Persons have peace but 't is without ground for the former do grosly mistake sin and the later do as grosly mistake themselves 2. That peace of Conscience is false where the strong man armed keeps possession where Satan works and rules without resistance Our Lord sayes When the strong man armed keepeth his Palace his goods are in peace Luk. 11. 21. By the strong man we are to understand the Devil by his Palace we are to understand the sinners heart because as a King reigns and commands all especially in his Palace so the Devil bears sway in the hearts of the ungodly And a false peace and quiet is the great means whereby the Devils Rule and Government is upheld If you are careless and unconcerned whom you are led by 't is certain that the Devil leads you for none are led by the Spirit of God without great sollicitousness and fear of being misguided and strong cryes that they may be guided by his counsel unto his Kingdom and Glory Satan is
will our Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit unto them that ask him Luke 11. 13. This Scripture does give sufficient warrant unto any breathing to go unto God for his Spirit to enlighten to convince to renew and change and at last to comfort them with as much confidence as Children go for Necessaries unto the most tender Earthly Fathers 2. These consolations of the Spirit especially belong unto those who are troubled as you are The broken Vessel is fit for the Oyl of Joy and Gladness to be poured into it Isa 61. 1 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath Annointed me to Preach good tidings to the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to Proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound to Proclaim the Acceptable Year of the Lord to Comfort all that mourn The Spirit does delight to comfort them that are cast down for these will not take up with other Comforts they prize the Spirits Consolations they cry Grace Grace when they receive them and walk humbly and warily afterward being afraid to lose such precious things by fresh Trangressions 7. For the Comforting of a troubled Conscience Behold and Wonder at Gods condescention in that he does intreat sinners to be Reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be Reconciled unto God You cannot imagine that He who has been so bitterly provoked by you should be so ready to forgive you and so willing to be Friends with you but you would do well to observe that after the Lord had promised Mercy and abundant Pardon to sinners willing to forsake their evil ways and thoughts he presently adds that his Mercy shall be extended to them though they were not able to conceive it My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. That is you must not measure my Mercy by yours nor think that I am able and willing to put up and forgive no more than you You are easily provoked but I am slow to Anger you are hardly Reconciled but I am ready to forgive I am willing to remit the greatest wrongs and to receive the wrong-doers into favour if they do but sincerely return to me and are willing for the future to please and serve me As the Heavens are high above the Earth so are my ways of Kindness and Compassion higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isa 55. 8 9. When there is a difference between any the Inferior commonly intreats the Superiour to be Reconciled but here the Lord who is infinitely above us intreats Us to be Friends that are infinitely below him He that does the wrong commonly intreats him whom he has wronged but here the Lord who has been Injured and Affronted and Offended and can most easily be Revenged does intreat them that have done the Injury He that is at the Mercy of another commonly intreats him at whose Mercy he lies but here the Lord who has absolute Power to do what he will with Offenders and can Glorifie himself in their Eternal Destruction does intreat them to be at Peace and to Repent that they may be saved Finally he that is the depending Person commonly does intreat him upon whom he has such dependance but here the Lord who has no dependance at all upon sinners nor any need at all of them does yet intreat them to come to him who have such intire dependance upon him that they cannot live or move or be without him and cannot be happy but in the enjoyment of him Oh what manner of Grace and Kindness is this and how may drooping spirits be revived and encouraged to hope in such a God read the parable of the prodigal see him by necessity driven home to his Fathers house behold his Father running to him embracing him though he had spent all among Harlots and in Riotous living and then give a ghesse how much more willing the Lord is to receive returning sinners 8. For the right comforting of a troubled Conscience Study well the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of works is not to be laid hold upon by any of the fallen Children of Adam this promises life indeed but 't is upon condition of perfect and perpetual conformity both of Heart and Life unto the Law of God But the Covenant of Grace is vastly different from that first Covenant Sinners may lay hold on this new Covenant and they cannot please the Lord better than by so doing and therefore chusing the things that please him talking hold on his Covenant are join'd together Isa 56. 4. If sinners being convinced of their lost estate by their iniquities are willing to receive Christ to be their Prince and Saviour and to turn and give themselves to God he has ingaged in this Covenant to be their God and Father to give them Grace and at last Glory and in the mean while to withhold no good thing from them In this Covenant of Grace observe these four things all which may be helpful unto your Consolation 1. This Covenant is well ordered 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure this is all my Salvation this is all my desire 'T is admirably suited unto the state and desires and wants of those that are taken into Covenant They have no righteousness or works of their own that they may rest upon but here is a perfect Righteousness provided even the Righteousnesse of Christ made theirs as their sins were made his by imputation The Apostle Paul speaks plainly of the Blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without works Rom. 4. 6. and 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousnesse of God in him As they have no Righteousness so they are sick of Spiritual Plagues but in this Covenant God has promised to cure them Isa 57. 18. I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comfort unto him and his mourners They need cleansing because of their manifold defilements But God promises that he will sprinkle clean water upon them and make them clean and from all their filthiness and from all their Idols he will cleanse them They are weak and unable to do their duty and persevere in wel-doing but God promises to renew their strength so that they shall run and not be weary and walk and not faint Isa 40. ult 2. This Covenant is sure 'T is confirmed by the Sacraments which are the Seals of this Covenant 't is confirmed by the oath of God Heb. 6. 17. 18. s Quà m impossibile est ut Christus in suâ justitiâ non placeat tam impossibile ut nos fide nostrâ quâ illi inhaeâ—emus
things willing to live honestly Such a Conscience is well instructed in that lesson Tit. 2. 11. 12. For the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present world In the handling of this Doctrine I shall first shew how a good Conscience is concerned in the Life and Conversation Secondly Instance in several kinds of Actions that a good Conscience has an influence upon Lastly Conclude with the Application In the first place I am to shew how a good Conscience is concerned in the Life and Conversation This will appear in these following particulars 1. There is no action but Conscience is to examine Every action is a step one way or other and Conscience is to see which way every step has a tendency whether upward towards the Hill of the Lord or downward towards the lake of Fire There is no action but Conscience will be wounded with it if it be a work of darkness and Conscience may reap satisfaction from it if it be a work of Righteousness 2. Conscience if good will not admit of loose principles It will not argue licentiously from the Righteousness of Christ which alone is imputed to us for our justification that therefore there is no necessity of inherent Holyness It will not argue from the superabundant Grace of God that therefore we may safely continue in sin Rom. 6. 15 16. What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid Know ye not that to whom ye yeild your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom you obey whether of sin unto Death or obedience unto Righteousness A good Conscience will not argue from the falls of Saints recorded in Scripture that we may venture to fall as they did but contrarily concludes since such eminent Saints have fallen it does concern us to look to our standing and not to be high minded but fear Finally it does not argue because Gods Covenant is Everlasting and his love unchangeable that therefore we may live as we list but on the contrary it tells us that because the Lords love is so great and unchangeable he is to be loved the more by us and followed more fully and more willingly obeyed 3. Conscience if good will not abuse Christian liberty The nature of this is not to be mistaken 't is not a liberty to make provision for the Flesh nor to walk after the course of the World nor to mispend your precious time nor to omit or do the work of the Lord negligently They that take such a liberty take that which God never gave them and by this liberty they become slaves and vassals to the Devil who employes and leads them captive at his pleasure But Christian liberty lies in being free from the bondage of Corruption from the Curse of the Law and the Power of Darkness and in having freedom of accesse to God through Christ and in being enlarged by the Spirit to run the wayes of his Commandements Christian liberty is an holy thing A good Conscience therefore is the more watchful lest we go beyond the bounds of Christian liberty and venture upon what is unlawful or use lawful things unlawfully for so 't is possible nay usual licitis perire even in these things to perish To Eat to Drink to Buy to Sell to Plant to Build to Marry and to be given in Marriage were none of them in themselves unlawful yet when the old world and Sodom were thus employed and these things were only minded and spiritual things neglected a Flood came and swept away the one and Fire and Brimstone did destroy the other Luk. 17. 26 27 28 29. 4. A good Conscience looks well to the Principles of our Obedience That it springs from a renewed nature for unless we are made good Trees how can we bring forth good Fruit that it proceeds from Faith for by Faith we must believe what we do to be according to the will of God and by Faith we must desire strength from our Lord Jesus to do that will which is discovered to us Our Obedience also must flow from love 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us to love not unto our selves but unto him that died for us Love is the first and great Command and that which makes us to yeild obedience to all the rest And we must be acted by Fear as well as Love a childlike reverence and awe of God how circumspectly will it make us walk Job feared God and eschewed evil Finally our Obedience must spring from gratitude and a sense of our obligation to serve the Lord who hath so loaded us with innumerable benefits All the mercies and deliverances which God did work for and extend to Israel were to induce them to observe his Statutes and to keep his Laws Psal 105. 45. 5. A good Conscience has a regard unto the matter of our actions That this be agreeable unto the Word of God This word is the rule we are to walk by that peace and mercy may be upon us There is a word which God will do his word of Promise he will accomplish his word of Threatning he will execute and his word of Prophecy he will fulfill There is a word which he will have us to do and that 's the word of Precept A good Conscience respects the precepts of the Law the sum of which is to Love the Lord with all our Heart and Soul and Mind and Strength and our Neighbour as our Selves Mat. 22. 37. 39. This Law is not made void but establish'd by Faith even in the Covenant of Grace the Lord promises to write this Law in our Hearts and sayes he will put his spirit within us to cause us to walk in his Statutes and to observe his Judgements and do them The Gospel has precepts also as well as the Law which a good Conscience knowes are to be obeyed And if we will indeed obey the Gospel we must believe on Jesus we must repent from dead works we must live by Faith we must give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure we must love our Brethren as love is a new command and enjoyned upon a new motive namely the great love of Christ We must engage in all the Ordinances and Institutions of our Lord Jesus finally we must hold fast our profession without wavering whatever troubles upon that score do overtake us 6. A good Conscience Eyes the Manner of our Obedience That it be out of choice David did chuse the way of the Lords Precepts he considered these precepts esteemed them concerning all things to be right and preferred them before all the False and destructive wayes of sin Obedience must not only be out of choice but it must be universal in regard of the object all the commands be respected and in regard of the Subject the whole man must
be under obedience and as this obedience must be yeilded to God without delay so we must be sure to stick unto his testimonies and persevere unto the end If ye continue in my word says Christ then are ye my Disciples indeed John 8. 31. But after we have done our best and most we must humbly and believingly look unto Jesus for the covering of our imperfections and that we and our performances may be accepted 7. A good Conscience looks to the End of our obedience and that the design of our actions be as it ought And our end should be not onely the obtaining of a reward but the Glory of God John 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples we should aim also at the credit and adorning of the Gospel and the good of men Good living is for the benefit of others in more regards than one Men are benefited by our good works of Justice and Mercy and such like and our doing of these works may help to convince them that there is an excellency and efficacy in the Gospel which brings forth Fruits that be so excellent You see how a good Conscience is concerned in the Conversation In the second place I am to instance in several kinds of actions which a good Conscience has an influence upon 1. A good Conscience has an influence upon our holy duties It is not satisfied unless we begin the day with these God should have our first thoughts and our affections and praises should be our morning sacrifice In the morning we should direct our prayer unto him and look up Ps 5. 1 2 3. The Scriptures are to be searched that our Hearts may be instructed quickened purified strengthned and revived by this word of Grace A good Conscience will not suffer holy duties to be done negligently it knows how treacherous the heart is and therefore watches over it that it may engage in the Lords service and not start aside like a deceitful bow (f) Non venitur ad bonam conscientiam nisi per cordis custodiam Cor ad vitam se vertit aut ad mortem velle peccare malum peccare pejus in peccato persever are pessimum nolle poenitere mortale Bernard de Interior dom cap. 24. Conscience will not be put off with words that are good or with a bended knee or a lifted up Eye or a sigh now and then but looks that Holy desires be strong and stirring that Faith be acted upon the promises of God who is so ready to be found of them that seek him with their whole Heart Deut. 4. 29. A good Conscience looks upon holy duties as things of grand concernment if these are well done it will be well with us if ill done it will be ill with us for ever In your Trades you are getting a livelihood but in your duties you are or should be minding a better and enduring substance What does deserve your pains and time and serious endeavours if the favour of God and the fulness of Christ and an Heavenly Kingdom do not what manner of duties should ours be since we aim at such things in the doing of them 2. A good Conscience has an influence upon the works of our Callings It will not allow of an unlawful Calling and that is to be styled an unlawful Calling in which a livelihood is gotten by serving and gratifying the lusts of men The Harlots way is unlawful and Stage-players is little better 'T is a wicked thing to live by the sins of others and by helping to undo and ruine them for ever And as the Calling must be Lawful so it must be Lawfully managed A good Conscience will take care that there be not an over eagerness after wealth which is of a perishing Nature for the time is short and therefore they that Buy must be as though they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing of it for the Fashion of this World passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. And as for unjust and dishonest gain a good Conscience can by no means allow it Do Justly is a Law so deeply engraven in the heart of Men by Nature and so often required in the Scripture that where injustice is we may conclude there is no goodness or tenderness in the Conscience (f) Bona conscientia est si habet in corde puritatem in ore veritatem in actione rectitudinem Bernard De Conscien cap. 4. pag. mihi 1099. VVhen this is indeed awakened though other sins do flie in the sinners face yet if any thing has been gotten wrongfully this in a special manner is a burthen neither is there any rest till Restitution be made either to the Person wronged or if he cannot be found unto the poor That Scripture should ever be Ringing in our ears in all Trading and Business 1 Thes 4. 6. That no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such And not onely Injustice but Idleness in the Calling is to be shunned for this Idleness is the way to cloath a Man with Rags and exposes to innumerable temptations (g) T is a good answer to the tempter Non licet non vacat 'T is not lawfull neither am I at leisure to do what thou wouldst have me 3. A good Conscience has an Influence upon our Words and Discourses for a great part of Pure and Vndefiled Religion does lie in brideling of the Tongue James 1. 26. Our Communication should be such as may administer Grace unto the Hearers A good Conscience will not admit of Impiety in our Discourse and certainly Oaths and Curses are very impious Lesser Oaths are not to be sworn but greater as by the God of Heaven the Blood and wounds of the Lord Jesus argue sinners to be daring and how fearful is it to hear them calling upon God to damn them Such things Argue that there is no good Conscience Neither will this admit of Impurity in our Communication for filthy and foolish talking is condemned Eph. 5. and is a sign of a corrupt and unrenewed heart out of the abundance of which the mouth speaketh Finally a good Conscience will not suffer us to be Injurious to any in our Discourses by Defaming by Back-biting by Slandering of them Those that take up Reproaches against their Neighbours and spread them their own mouths condemn them and plainly prove that they are not Citizens of Zion Psal 15. 1 2 3. 4. A good Conscience has an Influence upon our Time that it may be well and wisely Husbanded This is more precious than Gold that perishes and if the Goldsmith does look upon all gold as worth saving surely every moment of Time is worth Redeeming That which makes other things of less value namely the shortness of their continuance makes Time of greater value 'T is the more to be prized because 't will so quickly be at an
would principally lye at Satans door as all the Glory of that good which is done by us is to be ascribed unto God The Devil did not thrust the forbidden fruit into Eve's Mouth whether she would or no but only did cunningly and strongly perswade her to eat of it In like manner he deals with us he layes his baits (z) Vnam esse omnium rem pulcherrimam eoque pulchriorem si vacet populo neque plausum captans se tantum ipsa delectet Quinetiam mihi quidem laudabilior a videntur omnia quae sine venditatione sine populo teste fiunt non quo fugiendus sit omnia enim bene facta in luce se collocari volunt sed tamen nullum the atrum virtuti conscientiâ majus est Cicero Tuscul Quaestion l. 3. pag. mihi 146. before us and endeavours our ruine by offering what does please us But a good Conscience is deaf unto the Devil and scorns his offers for his offers are to the losse of the Righteous man What are the riches of the World which Satan talks so much of compared with the unsearchable Riches of Christ what are the pleasures of sin compared with peace of Conscience what are all Earthly advantages and preferments compared with Communion with God and the Light of his Countenance A good Conscience is firmly perswaded that 't is good for us to draw near to God Psal 73. ult to be near to Him is for our Honour Interest Safety Delight and satisfaction and hereupon the Believer rejects Satan with an Holy contempt and indignation for he see◠'t is folly as well as wickedness to leave his Fathers House where there is bread enough and to spare and to go feed upon busks in the farr Country 7. He that hath a good Conscience can look upon death with desire which is so exceeding terrible unto others The Believer may indeed be willing to live that he may serve his generation according to the will of God and that he may do that for Christ on Earth which he cannot do when he comes to heaven but his Conscience being pure and peaceable having an assurance what a kindness death will do him He does with the Apostle desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 23. There is profit pleasure and honor in a Believers departing no wonder if he desires to depart There is profit in it to dye is gain says the Apostle he gains more grace in the instant of his dissolution than he got all his dayes before for upon death his Spirit is made perfect in Holiness There is pleasure in death for sometimes 't is sweetned with ravishing transports of Spirit and it is the Porter to open the gate into full and Everlasting joyes having put an end both to sin and sorrow Finally there is honour in Death for the Believer having fought a good Fight and finished his course and kept the Faith he goes to receive the Crown of Righteousness 8. He that hath a good Conscience can look into Eternity and be filled with joy unspeakable and glorious That is one of the Richest jewels in the Crown of Life that it fades not away The good Conscience looks up to Heaven fixes its eye upon God sees that bosom in which the sanctified Soul must lye and (a) Da Pater omnipotens menti conscendere sedem Da fontem lustrare boni da luce repertâ In te conspicuos animi defigere visus Disjice terrenas nebulas ponder a molis Atque tuo splendore mica Tu namque serenum Tu requies tranquilla piis Te cernere finis Principium vector dux semita terminus idem Boetius de Consolat Phil. l. 3. met 9. pag. mihi 88. rest forever After millions of years are spent praise will be continued delight will be as green and fresh as ever there will be no loathing of that heavenly Manna after so many thousands of ages as there have been minutes since the Creation Joy in heaven will be as far from an end as it was when first of all it did begin Mortality and change are the disgrace of all temporal delights and pleasures but a good Conscience rejoyces and well it may do so in a better and enduring substance it sees how sure how near Eternal Life is and upon this follow raptures of pleasure Cyprian (b) Exultabunt Sancti in gloriâ videbunt Deum gaudebunt Ibi non gustabunt quam suavis sit Dominus sed implebuntur satiabuntur dulcdinemirificâ nihil eis deerit nihil oberit omne desiderium eorum Christus praeens implebit Non senescent non abescent non putrescent ampliùs perpetua sanitas foelix Eternitas be atitudnis illius sufficientiam confirmabunt Non erit concupiscentia in membris non ultra exurget rebellio carnis sed totus hominis status pudicus pacificus sana ex integro Natura sine omni maculâ rugâ deinceps permanebit Erit denique Deus omnia in omnibus illius praesentia omne animae corporis implebit appetitus Cyprian Serm. de Christ. Ascens does excellently set forth this full and Everlasting happiness of the Saints in Heaven They says he shall see God and Rejoyce and be Delighted they shall Enjoy that Glory and be swallowed up in that Joy for Ever-more There they shall not only taste how sweet the Lord is but shall be filled and satisfied with his wonderful sweetness nothing shall be wanting nothing shall be hurtful Christ being present will satiate all their longing They shall not grow old or weak or dye any more There will not be Concupisence in the Members nor Rebellion in the Flesh against the Spirit but Mans Nature will be fully restored and Sanctified and Healed and so will remain without any spot or wrinkle Everlastingly Finally God will be all in all and his immediate and glorious presence will so abundantly fill the Saints that they shall not be able to desire more You see now in several respects how desirable 't is to have good Conscience wheresoever such a Conscience looks upwards downwards inwards forwards still there is peace and Consolation Oh look into your Consciences and see what they are whether good or bad and oh that all bad Consciences may be utterly restless till they are made good ones VSE IV. Of Advice unto them whose Consciences are good which have been cleansed and quieted by the blood of Christ and by the VVord and Spirit of Grace My Advice is in these particulars 1. Be very thankfull for this unspeakable Gift of a good Conscience The largest Empire in the VVorld a Crown of pure Gold upon the Head is nothing near so great a Blessing as a pure and peaceable Conscience I may use the Angels Salutation to the Virgin Mary unto every Saint that has such a Conscience Hail thou that art highly Favoured The Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among the Sons of Men.
'T is a Mercy and a great one to have a good Name to be in good Health to have good Eyes and other Senses perfect to have good Natural Parts to have a competency of the good things of this Life to Live in good and Peaceable Days but to have a good Conscience is better than any of these nay than all these put together To excite you unto Thankfulness for a good Conscience think of three sorts of Persons Of the Secure of the Troubled of the Damned 1. Think of the secure what woful work are they employed about they sin boldly and dare to be damned for that love which they bear to their Fleshly and Worldly Lusts How say they must we part with these if we will go to Heaven Nay we will keep them though we go to Hell along with them These secure sinners are like one that lies down in the midst of the Sea or as he that sleeps upon the top of a Mast They are like unto Solomon's Drunkard they strike themselves but say they are not sick they beat themselves but for the present feel it not Prov. 23. 34 35. And who is it that makes you to differ from the most Profane and stupid sinner upon the Face of the Earth Admire and Magnifie that distinguishing Grace and Love which has granted you a well-grounded Peace when so many Thousands onely cry Peace to themselves but are every moment in danger of Wrath and Hell and everlasting Trouble 2. Think of the troubled in Spirit to make you the more thankful for a good Conscience While your Souls are at ease in the Arms and Embraces of the Lord Jesus how many complain of broken Bones How many do make their Beds to swim and water their Couches with their Tears How many cry out that Terrors are turned upon them and pursue their Souls as the wind and that when they call unto the Lord he is so far from regarding that with his strong hand he does oppose himself against them Job 30. 15. 20 21. Meditate well upon the torture of a wounded Spirit and then let all that is within you bless the Lord for Healing you 3. Think of the Damned whose Consciences are in a perpetual Rage who are Racked with Despair and whose Torment shall never end They are Fetter'd in the same Chains of Darkness with the Apostate Angels and these Chains are Everlasting Ah now their Wounds are incurable because their Physitian all their days was slighted and their Wounds were made light of and no Healing is to be at all expected And you that are Saints if Rich Grace had not taken hold of you would have been of the number of these miserable Souls if you had been dealt with according to your deservings you would have been weeping and wailing in outer Darkness that are now rejoycing in Hope of the Glory of God surely such differencing Kindness calls aloud for Praise 2. You that have a good Conscience be Compassionate to them whose Consciences are evil They need your Pity because they have none to themselves and your pity may not be altogether unprofitable to them Reprove them for their evil ways with mildness and wisdom and faithfulness hate them not so much as to suffer sin to lie upon them Lev. 19. 17. Cain indeed did say Am I my Brothers Keeper But be you of a contrary Spirit if you see your Brother go in the Road to Hell warn him and by warning endeavour to stop him If your Neighbours House were on Fire at Midnight and he himself fast asleep oh what pains would you take How would you pull him out of his Bed how loud would you cry Fire Fire to wake him Alas the sinner with a secure Conscience is in a far worse case he is fast asleep upon the brink of the burning Lake and have you nothing to say to him Oh that you would put on Bowels and speak for Souls and prevent their being lost for ever And because your speaking of it self must needs be ineffectual cry vehemently unto the Lord to Second you and speak with Mighty Power Awake awake you that sleep and arise from the dead and live for ever And let your Reproofs and Prayers be followed with such an Holy Harmless Heavenly Self-denying Conversation as may tend unto their Conviction If the Profane if the Persecuters if Carnal Professors had but a good Conscience it would be better for the Nation better for the Church better for particular Believers and ah how good would it be for themselves 3. Be very sensible that a good Conscience is matter of the Devils Envy therefore it concerns you to be Vigilant for he will endeavour to wound it Satan could behold the Rich Man in brave Apparel and his Table sumptuously Furnished and tumbling in wealth and Pleasures and yet he did not Envy him he knew that these things could not make him Happy and would be so far from hindring that they would rather further his eternal Misery But to see any with a good Conscience vexes and grieves the Devil which as it shews that there is a great Excellency in such a Conscience above all Earthly good things so it should make you stand upon your Guard against this Adversary You must know that although Grace cannot be totally lost yet a good Conscience may be both Defiled and Disturbed David's sin polluted him therefore he prays to be washed throughly from his Iniquity and to have his Heart cleansed His sin also broke his Peace therefore he Prays for the Light of God's Countenance that the Bones which were broken might Rejoyce Psal 51. If you do not watch and pray that you may not enter into Temptation if you are not strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might if you do not put on the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil up-upon a sudden he may take Advantage and draw you to some perhaps grosser sins and this may make you to go in the bitterness of your Souls mourning to your Graves If it had not been for his abominable fall David's latter part of his Life might have been sweeter and for ought I know his Crown in Heaven brighter 4. Be sure with all keeping to keep the good Conscience (b) Curandum est nobis atque hoc in omni vitâ suâ quemque à rectâ conscintia transversum unguem non oportere discedere Cicer. ad Atticum l. 13. Epist 20. Let not the Apple of the Eye let not Life it self be preserved with greater care Skin for skin and all that a Man has will he give for his Life And truly skin for skin and all that we have we should give rather than make shipwrack of a good Conscience Oh never Repent of your Uprightness hold fast your Integrity whatever comes on 't I Read concerning Brutus that stout maintainer of his Countries Liberty when all his Endeavours were to no purpose and the Cause