the wounds of such a friend than in the kisses of such as flatter For by this thou dost encourage her now and invite her for hereafter and shalt henceforth enjoy more of thy self and of her society He that heareth reproof getteth understanding Heb. possesseth an heart Prov. 15.32 Be not of those that can reflect on a mote in their brother's eye but not on a beam if in their own eye The more censorious abroad the more blind or at best blear-eyed will Conscience be at â—ome The kind treatments of a self-reflecting Conscience will produce most circumspection in her and most compassion towards others Mat. 7.3 4. Gal. 6.1 3. Welcome her reflections there is not so much vinegar as oyl in them If she chideth reproveth 't is but like Jeremy to keep thee from ruin Therefore do not smite her and put her in prison as Pashur did by that Prophet She may so forbear reflecting and for a while fall to remorslesness But assure thy self if she forbears thee now 't is to fetch a greater blow at thee hereafter Jer. 20.2 Rom. 1.28 5. Direct 5 Stir up thy Conscience if she be remiss speak to her if she be silent towards thee 1. There are some speaking providences that invite her to reflect and do suggest matter suffer her not to break from these Who knoweth but they may be as prosperous to you as they were to Joseph's Brethren and Pharaoh's Butler Gen. 42.21 cum 7. c. 41.9 cum 8. 2. There are some speaking portions of Scriptures and Sermons that enlighten her for reflecting and are a special means Do not baffle with these For how knoweth thou but there may be the same spiritual and saving effect obtained oâ— thee as hath been on others Heb. 4.12 1 Cor. 14.24 25. 3. There be many speaking perswasives to enduce and engage thee to reflect and serve for motives do not baulk these I have set many before you already and shall only subjoyn these 1. God seeth whether thou dallyest in it and his revenge wiâ—â— be severe if thou dost not reflect in season Psal 50.21 22. Jer. 8.6 c. Hos 7.2 2. 'T is a grievous sin to decline it thou dost not act like a man thou art brutish in thy knowledg yea below the brutes 't is not only vanity but a sore travel Isa 1.3 Eccles 4.8 3. What good success mayst thou arrive to by diligence Davids reflection ended in his reformation Pauls in eminent rejoycing the Jews in the reception of their prapers remission and pardon of their sins and restoring of them into signal favour both with God and man Psal 119.59 2 Cor. 1.12 1 King 8.47 51. Q. 11. How manifold is Conscience The definition of Conscience being dispatcht the distribution regularly follows to be next enquired into Herein I may not be too nice or acurate but attending the design of a practical Casuist I shall accordingly guide my self in the distribution hereof Thus more generally as both common experience and clear Scripture evidence instruct us There is 1 the good Conscience Heb. 13.18 1 Pet. 3.16 21. 2 The evil Conscience Heb. 10.22 The good and evil conscience may be considered and distributed either 1 according to the stated habitude Or 2 according to the several acts of mens Consciences First if we consider the state or according to the stated habitude of mens Consciences so the Conscience may be called good or evil either 1 in an ethical and moral Or 2 in an Evangelical and Spiritual sense 1. Ethically good or good upon a common account so is the Conscience which from a principle of moral righteousness is habitually disposed toward and actually dischargeth its offices according to Ethical or Moral principles In this sense many Pagans had and Paul before his Conversion was not without a good Conscience Act. 23.1 I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day i.e. I have lived up to the light of my Conscience Or as the Dutch Annotators * Ad locum I have served God uprightly i.e. without hypocrisie according to the knowledg I had 2. Evangelically good or good upon the Christian account so only is that Conscience which from a spiritual principle of renovation is habitually disposed toward and actually dischargeth its offices according to evangelical principles Paul therefore incloseth this between charity out of a pure heart and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 Let me add that the same Conscience as that of Paul before his effectual calling and as is commonly found in Moral persons which we may and do call good sensu ethico in an ethick sense we must call an evil Conscience sensu Evangelico in an Evangelical sense For so still it is an evil Conscience till it be purged from dead works by the blood of Christ to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 10 22. There is a double goodness found with the Conscience evangelically good a goodness of purity and a goodness of peace or a goodness of sincerity and of security as a practical Writer of ours speaketh * Sheffield Good Cons c. â— p. 26. Or a goodness of integrity and of tranquillity as another * Dykes Good Cons p. 20. See Ames de Consc l. 1. c. 12. Hence there is 1 the purified or pure Conscience instanced 2 Tim. 1.3 And 2 the pacified or peaceable Conscience intimated Phil. 4.7 Opposite to this double goodness of Conscience there is a double evil of defilement to sin habitual and allowed and 2. of distress to sorrow and anguish of heart Accordingly there is 1 the defiled Conscience propounded Tit. 1.15 And 2 the disquiet Conscience pointed at Prov. 12.25 It must be herewith remembred that neither this twofold evil nor that twofold goodness do always co-exist in the same Conscience There may be purity yet no peace and peace of Conscience such as it is yet no purity There may be an habitually impure or defiled Conscience which yet is not distressed And there may be a distressed Conscience which is not habitually impure or defiled as will be seen in the further progress of this discourse Oh happy conjunction when both goodnesses of peace and of purity of sincerity and of security do meet in the fame Conscience * Faelix conscientiâ— in qua osculatae sunt pax justitia Bern. de inter dom Happy when both evils of defilement and of distress of transgression and of trouble are cast out and kept out of the doors of Confcience together Secondly the good and evil Conscience may be distributed according to the several acts of Conscience viz. Either 1. as it apprehends and dictates matters of law or right where by it cometh to an issue in judgment Or 2. as it applys and draws them down to the matter before it for judgment Both which it doth either firmly and strongly or but feebly and weakly Agreeable whereunto there is 1 the weak and infirm Conscience And 2 the well-inabled firm or strong Conscience Of
be considered either as it is to conserve and ark up laws and rules of practice or as it is to come and apply these laws and rules 'T is miserably corrupt in both How far it falls short as to the former will be of particular discussion hereafter when I come to speak of the natural Conscience Oh how it is darkned depraved disabled as concerns the matter of an holy life in this world and the means of an happy life in the world to come How are men alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart Rom. 1.21 Eph. 4.18 1 Pet. 1.14 The main concernment of Conscience is to apply rules of practice And here how deplorably corrupt it is 1 Sometimes it doth not apply at all How many practical notions are swimming in the head that never sink into the heart and the heart is never set to consider of or concoct them into practice How much science and confidence find we in these Rom. 2.19 23. but no Conscience large and sound apprehensions but little or no self-application 1. The evil of Conscience is as to this so eminent that a general command is not thought enough by God but it must be particular and expressive Thou shalt have no other Gods c. Thou shalt not covet c. Exod. 20.3 18. The parable as pertinent as it was to Davids case never pinched Davids Conscience the Prophet himself was fain to do the office of Davids Conscience for him And Nathan said to David Thou art the man c. 2 Sam. 12.1 14. 2. When it doth apply oft-times it is not articulately and timeâ—y Christ hath told Peter Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice But the Cock crows the first and second time e're Conscience in Peter maketh application of this advice Mar. 14.30 68 72. Conscience should have applied in Josephs Brethren before their contract and his captivity in Egypt but till themselves are captives their Conscience was much-what silent Gen. 37.20 c. cum 42.21 22 3. Or else it doth not apply so auâ—horitatively and throughly as it should Conscience in man hath the command and empire â—ut how often is concupiscence too hard for Conscience and carnal appetitions subjugate Conscience its application so that bad men â—eep down the truth in unrighteousness and â—are not to retain God in their knowledg â—nd good men are sometimes captivated as â—o the law of their minds by and unto the law of sin which warreth in their members Rom. 1.18 21 28. Rom. 7.23 25. 4. Or not soâ— abidingly Conscience applys and Felix trembles but the fit is soon over Conscience the Preacher in the bosom must not be attended nor Christs Preacher at the Bar heard out till a better convenience Act. 24.25 Conscience is at work with Pharaoh and while he is heated in the furnace of successive judgments Conscience is hearkning and applying but after he is out of the fire like iron his heart groweth the harder and less apt to receive an impression Exod. 8 1â— 32 c. But more particularly Conscience maketh application either peâ— modum testis or per modum judicis as a witness or as a judg and in both it is very bad 1. As a witness see how wicked it is 1. 〈◊〉 registring how few of mens faults doth iâ— file up and book down So that Daviâ— brings it to a question Who can understanâ— his errors Psal 19.12 But if there be a vertuouâ—action or but an appearance this is forth with put upon the file and record witneâ—â— the common practice besides the curse of thâ— Pharisees Luk. 11.42 Mat. 23.23 2. 〈◊〉 reflecting How few reflections are made up on our actions how few returns are maâ—â— upon our hearts insomuch as God saith hearkned and heard and no man repented him 〈◊〉 his wickedness saying what have I done Jeâ— 8.6 No man put Conscience to the question touching his conversation 3. In ruminatinâ— or considering How defective and diseased 〈◊〉 Conscience here likewise as the consequents do evidently demonstrate insomuch as God is fain to call once and again for it Now consider this ye that forget God Now consider your ways c. And doth often complain of the general want of it None considereth in his heart They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness now their own doings have beset them about They say not in their heart in the confluence of mercies let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth the rain the former and latter rain in his season c. Psal 50.22 Hag. 1.5 Isa 44.19 Hos 7.2 Jer. 5.24 4. In reporting Oh how corrupt and partial Conscience is in this Not a word doth Samuel hear from Saul till necessitated thereunto in aggravating his sin but how many in apologizing for it Not a syllable is to be seen in the Pharisees plea and prayer for self-judging or for self-abasing but the substance of it is for self-justifying and self-advancing 1 Sam. 13.11 12. Chap. 15.13 15 20 c. 2. Conscience makes application as a judg and herein it miscarrieth likewise How severe is it ordinarily abroad but how slight at home further than it is sanctified Are there not many who judg even the mote in their brothers eye that yet can indulge a beam mean-while in their own eyes Mat. 7.2 3 4. And damn the same things in others which they do themselves Rom. 2.1 c. The faithful themselves have not been free under a preâ—ailing temptation Hath Tamar plaid the strumpet Bring her forth saith Judah and let her be burnt But never a blow is given by Conscience as concerned his sin and folly with her till the Bracelets and staff and Signet are produced Gen. 38.13 27. Davids anger was greatly kindled and as the Lord liveth saith he the man shall surely die that had stollen the poor mans lamb in Nathans Parable But mean-while his Conscience had no sense of nor gave sentence for his own provocation which run parallel therewith till the Prophet presseth it and putteth it home upon him 2 Sam. 12.5 6 7 c. The judgment Conscience is to make is either with relation to former things and times or else to future 1. With relation to former things and times Conscience is to accuse or excuse But in each it is ordinarily very evil 1. Sometimes 't is out in the the matter It excuseth and covereth where it should accuse and condemn They all with one consent began to make excuse Luk. 14.18 where their Conscience should have been accusing and they have been manifesting their repentance for their sin and making ready for the supper It accuseth and condemneth sometimes where it should rather excuse yea commend Ye said also behold what a weariness is it and ye have snuffâ—â— at it saith the Lord of hosts c. Conscience counts and judgeth Gods service and a godly strictness profitless painful irksome evil
it self evil as in the Polygamy of the Patriarchs And should not this power be good whose power is so great both for evil and for good 5. From the Principles it owneth 1. In Nature Doth not even Nature it self teach me that my Conscience be good whatsoever pains it cost me or whatever be the persecutions from men wherewith it may be consequenced The very Heathens have therefore prescribed means and pressed motives 2. In Grace how much more am I taught to exercise my self herein and engage my self hereunto by all the principles of godliness and by all the Promises of the Gospel 6. From the Offices it is to perform Can my Conscience do well if it be evil do not its Offices for God require that it be holy and good Conscience hath the office of 1. A Minister and is therefore obliged to be good a bad Minister being the worst of Men there is little hopes of its ministring good unless it be a good Minister 2. Of a Magistrate who should be most eminently and exemplarily good and a Minister to thee for good 3. Of a Witness 4. And of a Judg which must be good or they will do evil do evil themselves and not deliver Souls from extremity and injustice 3ly Direct 3 Apply you to the Causes of a good Conscience The Causes improved the effect will ensue These are principal or less principal 1 The Principal is God Every good and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of Lights The good Conscience is from the God of Conscience The God that made thy Conscience can alone make thy Conscience good Acknowledg him then in all thy ways and he shall direct thy paths Ask of him by prayer and strong crys as David did Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes Incline my heart to thy Testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes Create in me a clean heart O God Jam. 1.17 Psal 119.36 68 80. 1. It proceedeth from the good-will of the Father The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding 'T is He that putteth Wisdom in the inward parts and giveth Understanding to the Heart Press thy Heart to consider it and plead with him in Supplication who delights to be urged with the liberousness of his own acts of Grace and giveth liberally to him that asketh Job 32.8 c. 38.36 Jam. 1.5 2. It is procured by the great worth of the Son who was made sin for us to take sin from us and in the likeness of sinful flesh by a sacrifice for sin hath condemned sin in the flesh and so brings us to God 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Joh. 3.5 Rom. 8.3 marg 1 Pet. 3.18 The good Conscience costs no less price than the Blood of God the Blood of Christ was shed that the besmeared Conscience might be sprinkled and purged for the peculiar service of God Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 10.22 c. 9.4 Apply then the meritorious and medicinal vertue that is in the Blood of Christ for cure of those maladies and bruises that are in thy Conscience Apply it by an hand of Faith make it thine Put thou on the Lord Jesus Christ Bring it down to thy case let this Blood be sprinkled on thy Conscience apply it in ardent prayer come unto God by him present his Merit with thy malignity to Divine mercy Plead his worthiness in thy unworthiness his stripes for thy healing the righteousness of Christ for the renovation of thy Conscience Pursue thy petitions upon the price he hath paid 3. It is produced by the gracious work of the Spirit If Conscience be spiritual and gracious it comes from the spirit of Grace if pure if holy 't is by the power of the Holy Ghost 'T is carnal till the Spirit comes never spiritual till born of the Spirit It is the spirit of life which sets it free from the law of sin and death Joh. 3.5 Rom. 15.13 16. Rom. 8.2 What Evangelical Truths are imprinted on the good Conscience they are of the Spirit 's writing 2 Cor. 3.3 What Evangelical Testimony is imparted by the good Conscience 't is of the Spirit 's working of his working for us who also witnesseth therewith in us Rom. 8.15 c. 9.1 Put not off the Spirit then in its motions and essays upon you which he maketh ply to him with all diligence and dearness put him not off with delays much less shouldst thou provoke him with a denial Let Steven speak why the Jews were uncircumcised in heart Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost Act. 7.51 Rather pray in the Spirit which God hath promised to pour out And who knows but Beggars may be blest in that branch of the Promises of his Grace I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Prov. 1.23 Luk. 11.13 Ezek. 36.27 2 The less principal Causes are 1. an operative faith and love within you 2. the ordinances for faith and love without you 1. Let there be an operative faith and love within you These like Judah and Simeon his Brother come up into each others lots to subdue the Canaanites and set right the Conscience Let there be Charity out of a pure heart and Faith unfeigned and thou canst not be left without a good Conscience which the Apostle lodgeth in the midst of these as the Tabernacle of the Congregation was in the midst of the Camp Judg. 1.3 1 Tim. 1.5 Numb 2.17 Both of them have a blessed operation and tendency first to purifie then to pacifie the Conscience Of which hereafter 2. Live in the Ordinances for Faith and Love Be much in Praying Hearing Reading Meditation Conference the end of all these Commandments of God is to make thy Conscience good Cry after him and continue in them for this end make God's end thy errand to them and your heart shall live that seek God 1 Tim. 1.5 Psal 69.32 You wrong your own Souls that wave the Ordinances of our Saviour How many an evil Conscience hath been healed and cured by them How many a bad Conscience have been made good and how many a good Conscience have been made better The way is as open to you as it was to them follow God in them forsake not the ways of his Gospel you shall know if you follow on to know the Lord. Continue at the gates of Wisdom come for Wisdom to her gates and thou shalt not come off a loser yea if thou criest after knowledg and liftest up thy voice for understanding If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Prov. 8.33 ad finem Hos 6.3 Prov. 2.1 6. 4. Attend Conscience throughout Direct 4 If Conscience be not good throughly 't is not good truly See that this goodness go throughout Conscience To this is requisite 1. a right apprehension of
should not ordinarily fail of the effect either in clearing and confirming the truth or confuting the falshood of what our Conscience witnesseth Doth Conscience say They that have fellowship with God are in an happy state But we have fellowship with God Put her to the proof of the Assumption in a second practical Syllogism as thus They that have fellowship with God walk in the light i.e. live holily for God is light and in him is no darkness at all But we walk in the light i.e. live holy and uprightly This confirms Or on the other hand thus They that walk in darkness i.e. that are ignorant and disobedient have no fellowship with God But we wâ—lk in darkness This confuteth If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth 1 Joh. 1.5 6 7. The Scriptures therefore do frequently offer to the application of Conscience both negative Marks and positive together that by the application of the former we may correct our mistakes and by the latter we may confirm our minds in what is assumed by Conscience as to our being in Christ and in a condition of Blessedness as Rom. 8.1 9 10 11. Psal 1.1 2. Ephes 4.20 25. And the Apostle thinks it fit to subjoyn sometimes to the testimony of his Conscience the reasons upon which that testimony was raised and from whence it resulted 2 Cor. 1.12 13. Rom. 9.1 2 3. 5. The crediting of Conscience its testimony therefore in such Propositions as are capable of further proof is not safe for us ordinarily without the calling in and considering of those proofs first had and made And it is of singular use in such a case to put Conscience afresh to the question before it comes to a Conclusive determination that such a testimony is of indubitable truth As There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ a Proposition of infallible verity But I am in Christ saith Conscience This Assumption should be again put to the question and requireth proof and confirmation as the Apostle seems to imply by adding so many Characteristical signs They that are in Christ walk not after the flesh but after the spirit are made free from the Law of sin and death i.e. from the prevailing and binding power thereof In such the body is dead because of sin and the spirit is life because of righteousness Can Conscience now again assume But this is our walk we are thus free our sins thus mortified and our spirits thus vivifyed to righteousness and holiness Or as elsewhere They that are in Christ are new Creatures Doth Conscience say we are new Creatures Press her to give you the proof of what she saith They that are new Creatures have old things past away all things are become new have put off the old man and put on the new And now attend whether Conscience can assume as in the presence of God All things are past away all things are become new in and to us c. Rom. 8.1 10. 2 Cor. 5.17 Ephes 4.22 24. 2 Let Conscience deliberate before she delivers in her Testimony Bethink thy self and bring this witness as they were their wickedness 1 King 8.47 back again to thine heart Consider your ways and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God David's haste did more than once disturb his peace and drew the Jews into a fools Paradise Hag. 1.5 7. Eccles 5.2 Psal 31.22 Isa 5.12 Hos 7.2 Know therefore this day and consider it in thine heart 1. To and before whom she is to render this witness or report 'T is not to thy self only but unto God also He knoweth the way that thou dost take The heart saith he is deceitful above all things who can know it I the Lord search the heart I try the reins c. Job 23.10 Jer. 17.9 10. O my Conscience if thou shalt not speak home and speak uprightly shall not God search it out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart The righteous God trieth the heart and reins Dost thou bear this witness in the Holy Ghost Psal 44.21 7.10 Rom. 9.1 2. What the rule or mark is according to which she is thus to witness and report Compare Spiritual things with Spiritual thy self not with thy self but with the sign or standard by which thou art to measure thy state Take not only an occasional or transient view of what that speaketh and thou art or dost But let thy consultations therewith be frequent ordinary deliberate deep Who so looketh into the perfect Law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed 2 Cor. 10.12 Jam. 1.23 24 25. 3. What reason is there that she should make this report O my Conscience how canst thou clear up this thy Testimony Of which before 4. What will be the result of this witness or report Shouldst not thou now deal faithfully with me what a fearful deluge of presumption c. would henceforth overflow me and what floods of dedolence pride c. would henceforth also oppress My conversion will be less possible and thy condemnation and torment more perplexing and full of horrour Act. 28.26 27. Luk. 13.27 28 29. 3 Let Conscience be dealt with truly and impartially by thee that she may deal forth a true and impartial testimony to thee 1. Charge her to be herein true and thorow with thee By her concernment in it Who shall witness if Conscience do not For no man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him God hath set thee O my Conscience as that heap and pillar to be a witness between him and me 1 Cor. 2.11 Gen. 31.52 Rom. 2.15 By her Commands for it God hath chosen her for this purpose and chargeth her in his Laws to be a Minister and Witness both of those things which she hath seen like Paul and of those things in the which he shall appear to her Rom. ibid. 2 Cor. 4.2 Act. 26.16 By the Covenant and Oath of God which she hath taken for it The vows of God are upon thee to be a faithfulful Witness that will not lie And wouldst thou have him to be a swift Witness against thee Prov. 14.5 Mal. 3.5 By the consequence of it to her as well as thee by the blessed effects on the one hand by the bitter effects on the other 2. Keep off such as would tamper with her and either keep her from giving witness or corrupt her in the witness she doth give Keep thine heart with all diligence Sin is ready to buy off her testimony with its pleasures Sense to bribe her with its profits Satan to befool and ensnare her with his policies Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation Set a guard upon Conscience Let not these come nigh the corner of her house He that doth keep his soul shall be far from
oppress Briefly what or whence those secret inward records of what you have declined and done and suitable inclinations and recalls thereof to your hearts especially when death or some notable distress is come upon you or coming on What I say are all or any of these but the exertings and acts and therefore evidences and arguments of that spirit or conscience in man which is the candle of the Lord searching the innermost parts of the Belly Prov. 20.27 3. Will you confer with such who never heard of Christ or have read the Scriptures Read their written Confessions or review the workings of their Consciences There are few things that more fully or frequently occur in their Writings than the presence and power of Conscience in every man which God say they hath given to every one (a) Consciamens ut cuique sua est ita concipit intra Pectora pro facto spemque metumque suo Ovid. Fastor l. 1. s p. 2. as his deputy and for their direction over-rule and over-sight (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl That from this is no subterfuge nothing latent (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isocrat ad Demonic Nunquam fides latendi fit etiam latentibus quia coarguit illos conscientia ipsos sibi ostendit Senec. Epist 97. That its Testimony is of all others the strongest (d) Conscientia mille testes Turpe quid acturus te sine teste time Consciamens recti famae mendacia ridet Ovid. Fastor l. 1. Magna vis est conscientiae judicis magna in utramque partem Vt neque timeant qui nihil commiserint paenam semper ante oculos versari putent qui peccâ—rint Cicer. pro Milon its tranquility sweetest (e) Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Horat. l. 1. Epist 1. Conscientia rectae voluntatis maxima consolatio rerum incommodarum Cicer. Epist tam. 4. l. 6. Nullâ re tam laetart soleo quà m officiorum meorum conscientiâ Id. Quae etiâ—m obruta delectat quae concioniâ— ac famae reelomat in se omnia reponit cum ingentem ex altera purte turbam contra-sentientium aspexit non numerat suffragia sed unsâ— sententiâ vincit Sen. de Benef. l. 4. c. 21. Licet ipsum Corpus plenum bonâ conscientiâ stillet placebit illi ignis per quem bona fides coâ—â—ucebit Id. ibid. its torments sharpest They therefore abundantly counsel man to study his own Conscience (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tecum habita Pers Sat. 4. Nec te quaesiveris extra Pers Sat. 1. and affectionately complain that men search not into but slight their own Consciences (h) Vt nemo in se tentat descendere nemo Persius Sat. 4. As for the workings of their Consciences that of the Apostle is written (f) Nihil est miserius quà m animus hominis conscius Plaut Occultum quatiente animum tortore flagellum Mens sibi conscia facti Praemetuens adhibet stimulos torretque flagellis Luer Poena autem vehemens multò saevior illis quos Caeditius gravis invenit Rhadamanthus Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectorâ—-testem Juven as with a Sun-beam in their life as well as his Letters The Gentiles which have not the Law are a Law to themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences also bearing witness or their Consciences witnessing with them and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 2.14 15. 'T is true we commonly say such and such are of no Conscience or have lost all Conscience But this is and must be understood with reference had rather to the quality than to the faculty i.e. they are of no good or honest Conscience or as Conscience is considered in act rather than in habit they have lost their Conscience as we say men have lost their reason i. e. the free and uninterrupted use of it And it is true also that there are who have made shipwrack of all good Conscience that have seared their Consciences and that there are such whom God hath justly given over to a reprobate and remorsless Conscience cannot be denied 1 Tim. 1.19 Rom. 1.28 But Conscience it self ceaseth not though such qualities may cease or are changed Conscience is not destroyed when defiled 't is Conscience though contemned Tit. 1.15 1 Tim. 4.2 We find the arrests and acts of Conscience even among the damned the devils Mat. 8.29 Mar. 9.44 So that there is a Conscience universally in all and cannot utterly be extinct in any * See D. Taylor Ductor Dubitan 1 l. 1. ru.n. x. 5.6 7. Even they that say unto God depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy ways are not therein without the evident self-reflections of an evil and seared Conscience Job 21.14 15. Q. 2. There being a Conscience in every man implanted by God how ought every man to imploy his Conscience in order to God Though Conscience be under the Sovereign command and of the sole Creation of God yet hath he substituted every man to be the keeper of his own Conscience under him and must surrender an account thereof to him Prov. 4.23 Mal. 2.15 Rom. 14.12 And if God hath implanted in every man a Conscience then every man should imploy his Conscience 1. In the behalf of God who hath made both them and it for himself Isa 43.7 Prov. 16.4 And so in pursuance of his holy inclinations furthering his supream Government in promoting his holy interest vindicating his sovereign glory in patronage of his holy image forwarding serious godliness in propugning his holy intentions and institutions frustrating in what they may the strong hopes and oppositions of his enemies sin the world and satan 2. As before God who as he made the Conscience will assuredly manifest the counsels of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 'T is good to mind her often of her original and of his omniscience which will both quicken her to her employment and keep her from extreams Yea 't is necessary that all the acts of Conscience and of you toward Conscience be done as before the all-seeing Creator lest they lose their efficacy and authority upon you and you lose your end and attempts upon her whose pravity is so desperate and policies are so deep Rom. 2.15 Jer. 17.9 10. Psal 64.6 Let her often know from you that God who created and implanted her hath a most intuitive knowledg therefore of her and all her intrigues lye open to him Wo to her if she would hide counsel from him Psal 9.4.7 12. Heb. 4.13 Is 29.15 16. 3. In the business appointed her of God Look what are those offices which he hath deposited with her and see that neither you nor she decline them Look what are those operations which he hath designed by her and see that she do them and that you accordingly demean your selves toward
her of which Q. 4. God hath surrogated and set her up 1. To be a law-giver from him imploy her in the study and revelation of what his laws are and your lives should be and see that you receive the truths she dictateth from him 2. To be a witness for and with him Imploy her in the observation and report of his works and your ways and see that you refuse not the testimony she delivereth for him 3. To be a judg under him Imploy her in the search and determining of your condition and see you remove not the sentence which she receiveth from him while you remain in this condition Rom. 2.14 15. Joh. 8.9 2 Cor. 5.11 4. In a befittingness and accord to God who hath invested men with it and imprinted his mind upon it 1. In accord to his work herein Men should not call their concupiscence humour lust illusion contumaciousness by the precious name of Conscience It reflects disparagement and an odium to its divine rise and original 2. In accord to his worth If Conscience be implanted in you by him she is inferiour to him and should not impose upon you against or above his commission She is then under the rule and authority of him and must render an account to him 3. In accord to his will as may best express his superiority over her his similitude upon her and best exemplifie those sacred instructions which he hath left upon record concerning her 5. Beyond and above all for him If Conscience be first implanted by him she should be finally imployed for him 'T is a sordid employment to put Conscience upon the palliation or extenuating of a mans corruption or upon the provision and erecting of a mans credit c. And 't is a sorry end to determine her high-bôrn operations within the narrow confines of the object sense or of a mans felf If she be of an higher efficient she should be busied for an higher end Her acts and answers should be all towards God 1 Pet. 2.19.3.21 Men should study to approve their Conscience to him to assure their Conscience before him and to advance and celebrate him by all the elicit and imperate acts of their Conscience 2 Cor. 5.9 11. 1 Joh. 3.19 Psal 34.1 2 3. 6. So as to behold and steadily own whatsoever truths he hath ordered out for man's knowledg and observation by implanting him with a Conscience And the more eminent any of them are the more firm should be mans assent to them and the more full and vigorous his adherence to and asserting of them Q. 3. What great truths may every man know and gather up from hence that there is a Conscience in him Among and above others every man may hence know and infallibly conclude these ensuing verities Is there a Conscience in every man then let every man 1. Behold a Deity * Conscientia optimus testis divinatis Tert. lib. de testim animae That which may be known of God is manifest in them from within as well as manifest to them from without so far at least as will render them inexcusable in sin though not as far as may be requisite and effectual to Salvation The eternal power and Godhead are written in lively and legible Characters not only upon the Creatures but in the Conscience enough to convince the Atheist and whereby he may arrive to the knowledg both that he is and to a good degree what he is also Rom. 1.19.20 2.14 15 The several truths which are conserved in the Conscience doth she not dictate as the will of God The special testimonies the Spirit communicateth doth she not declare as a witness for and with God The sentence and judgment wherewith the Spirit concludeth doth she not deliver as a substitute from as the sentence of God I need no other evidence for this than your own experiences which do plainly enough acquaint you that all the offices Conscience doth discharge are done under and for God and that the obligation she infers is as from so by God So that the being and acts of Conscience are both a pregnant proof that there is a God and do powerfully perswade men to acknowledg his Government and ascribe him worship and glory 2. Behold the Doctrine of Eternity rewards of good and evil that extend beyond death and all duration of time Behold your Consciences do not confine themselves in their converses with you within the narrow limits of mortality They carry engraven on them an immortal state with accord to the immortality of your Souls and by the prospect of this they inhibit and restrain from vice instigate and rouze us to vertue refresh mens hopes at one time and raise fears and torments at another Manifest it is that Conscience principally restrains and rules by the hopes and fears of a future immortality of glory and misery And if there were no such thing her government should be for the most part frivolous and delusory 2. Gods giving her to many persons would be vain and unnecessary for how should she contain armed force or artificial fraud within the bounds of duty when the one can sin safely beyond the punishments of this life and the other secretly Besides 3. her glory in being thus capacitated and raised above the brute Creatures would be hers and our shame and misery and render her and us beneath them while her hopes she ruleth by are frustrate and her fears are vexing which are things utterly to be rejected by all rational men 3. Behold a Dooms-day or day of judgment If every man hath a Conscience then every man must give an accompt and come to judgment and necessary it is that the several judgments of Conscience may be set right and the secrets of Conscience may be revealed and set open Rom. 2.12 17. 1 Cor. 4.5 Conscience is praejudicium judicii as Tertullian well 'T is an Emblem and evidence of the day of judgment Conscience keeps many a Court before hand as a Judg but lo she conducts men as by the hand to a more solemn and supream judgment Yea how often doth she cite men hither and arrest men from hence So that Paul preaching of Judgment maketh even a Pagan Judg to tremble Act. 24.25 Plain it is that the judgment of Conscience refers higher and reminds men often of a more impartial Judg and Judicature that is future and certain Conscience contains the records of Gods Laws and mens lives as a Book Here men often keep this Book clasped and sealed but the righteousness of God in and for the reward of men requireth that the Books be and they shall be opened Revel 20.12 Conscience is the Candle of the Lord searching yea and shewing what men are and have done as a witness whose work it is to give evidence in judgment Here men sometimes baffle at other times bribe this witness It shall therefore be brought into an open and impartial Court where it may neither be flattered nor
frighted Prov. 20.27 4. Behold Mans Dignity If every man hath a Conscience than is Mankind advanced in dignity next the very Angels Some of the Creatures have being only and no life others have being and life but no sense these again have being life and sense but no reason But man was created and is continued with being life sense and reason likewise Let your condition as creatures be considered and you are but little lower than the Angels Ps 8.4 c. The noblest of brute and inanimate Creatures have no principle of Reason no power for self-reflection they have neither science nor conscience You have both of them Be thankful for be tender of improve and justifie this Dignity Mind it maintain it otherwise this Dignity will but heighten your damnation and you will be worse than the beasts that perish who while men injure and abuse their Conscience imploy and improve their brutish knowledg Rom. 1.18 ad finem Ps 49.12 14 20. Isa 1.2 3 4. 5. Behold his duty If every man hath a Conscience then no man is left to a sinful license without a check or restraint upon him or to his self-lusts without a command to rule him without a Controller to reprove him a Conscience to curb and reprehend him What duties are delineated and drawn out upon every mans Conscience I shall not discuss or enquire though I doubt not to say that there is since the fall at least a minute-draught left of the Moral law of God upon her So that he that will not shut the eyes of his Conscience must needs see that he is under a law and debt of religion toward God of righteousness toward man and of temperance and sobriety to his own self 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 witness c. Rom. 2.14 15. Q. 4. But what duties hath every man to look to in that he is not left without Conscience I answer in that every man hath a Conscience he is engaged thereby to look well to the whole compass of his duty and in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 For therefore is Conscience bestowed upon him for the better knowledg of his duties for binding and keeping him to his duties and for his better conduct in and throughout his duties But more particularly * See Eenners Treat oâ— Consc p. 38 c. there are duties incumbent on you both 1 in regard that you have a Conscience and in 2. regard of the Conscience that you have 1. In that you have a Conscience 1. Be less sensual Sensuality is for Brutes that are led by sense and imagination But there is a spirit in man an internal principle of knowledg and Conscience which no sensible object is suitable to or can satisfie Ps 49.6 ad finem the wisdom wills ways that are earthly and sensual are below a man are brutish yea devilish Jam. 3.15 Jam. 73.22 Compared with the former uses 2. Be more Spiritual both in the offices you perform and in the objects you pitch upon There is a Conscience in every one of you which knoweth the things not only without but within man the interior motions of the mind as well as the exterior of the members 1 Cor. 2.11 See there be truth then in the inward and hidden parts and slubber not over outward religious actions without inward religious acts and affections Let there be a proportion within to your practice without which is not only requisite in that you have a Conscience but it will richly assure your heart and Conscience before God 1 Joh. 3.18 19. 3. Be more strict in secret You cannot look Conscience out of your Closets or Counting-houses Here is a spy and centinel from God upon you yea in you wheresoever you are and whatsoever you are about The most secret omission or commission can never escape the privy search of Conscience or its judicial censure It searcheth all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 4. Be more circumspect Ponder the paths of your feet look well to your estates and actions Walk circumspectly Hazard not a breach with Conscience for these bitter-sweet comforts or thy Salvation for Secular vanities Adventure not upon sin or the snares that induce to or intangle in sin Remember Conscience is with thee yea within thee a strict Notary to write a sure Observer to witness and a severe Judg to punish thy precipitate especially thy preconsulted iniquities II. In regard of the Conscience you have Have you a Conscience Then 1. Act Conscience All habits and all powers are for action And the more eminent they are the more for exercise You imploy the sensitive and brutish part why should the Rational and Angelical part as Conscience is lie idle The more inactivity the more you contract of inability here and the more will be compensate for this injury hereafter Rom. 1.21 c. 2. Attend Conscience Its orders offices obligation all the items intimations and instructions which thou hast from it Whatsoever it saith especially that it self be safe here is the main guard if Sin or Satan seiseth this what is safe Keep thy heart which includeth the Conscience with all diligence above all keeping for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4.23 3. Acquaint your selves with Conscience You seek correspondence abroad and should you be strangers to Conscience at home which dwells under the same roof with your self and is expressed to you by your very selves in the Scripture Judg in your selves 1 Cor. 11.13 18. i.e. Judg in your Consciences Let a man examine himself i.e. Let him examine his Conscience 1 Cor. 11.28 Knâ—w ye not your own selves So large acquaintance with others and so little with thy own self Go commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be still 2 Cor. 13.5 Psal 4.4 4. Assure Conscience Here is an intestine friend or enemy and therefore the best friend or worst enemy 'T is a general office and of greatest over-sight Oh the happy consequence of assuring Conscience you assure the God of conscience who will acquit and accept you and therewith confidence toward God not only of access to but of audience by him in whatsoever you ask of him 1 Joh. 3.19 23. Q. 5. What is Conscience in Man What Conscience in Angels is comes not within the compass of this Question nor much concerns our knowledg 'T is true we find Conscience at work both in the Angels that kept their first estate Rev. 19.10 and in those that kept it not Mat. 8.29 But this is eccentrick to our design which is to discuss Conscience in man wherein I may not apply my self to feed the itch of a Polemical School-querist but as may best fit the intention of a sober practical Casuist The An sit hath been spoken to the Quid sit is the subject now before us And in that the nature of
the thing is often exhibited us in the notation of the term whereby it is expressed I shall premise something of the name then present to you its nature 1. For the Name There is not one word which precisely signifieth the Conscience whereby 't is expressed in the Old Testament Sometimes it is expressed by Spirit Prov. 18.14 Psal 34.14 and therewith accords Pauls mention of it 1 Cor. 2.11 The spirit of man i.e. his Conscience which is in him Sometimes by heart 2 Sam. 24.10 1 King 2.44 with which agrees that of 1 Joh. 3.20 21. If our heart i.e. our Conscience condemn c. I shall not omit what is observed by A. Burges * Of Orig. sin par 3. c. 2. s 1. that the first signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leb rendred heart is a conspersion or meal sprinkled with water which points us how the heart or conscience of man is conspersed and water'd with some common principles and notions about good and evil and accordingly is to make application of them The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Latin Conscientia from whence we have our English word Conscience signifie a knowledg together Conscientia est quasi conjuncta scientia Conscience is a conjunct science both as it respects several subjects and several objects A knowledg together of many Subjects or by and with others and of many objects or of others 1. 'T is a knowledg together with others Conscientia est cum alio scientia as Aquinas * Sum q. 79. a 13. And that not so much with other men though the sincerely conscientious would fain commend himself to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and is careful of keeping close to that universally received rule of Conscience Math. 7.12 Luk. 6.31 2 Cor. 4.2 2. Nor so much with a mans own self when the heart and head are agreed in the judgment which is made And a man can say with Paul My conscience also bearing me witness Conscientia est quasi cordis scientia saith Bernard * De interior Domo Cor quando se novit appellatur Conscientia quando praeter se alia scientia Id. ib. Knowledg in the head alone is barely science as one saith * Sheffield Good Conse c. 1 p. 17. but knowledg in the heart too is Conscience rightly so called 3 But 't is a knowledg together with God Cum Deo scientia Behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high saith Job Ch. 16.19 And Paul I speak the truth in Christ and lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 He produceth three witnesses say our Annotators * Ad loc Christ Conscience and the Holy Ghost 2. 'T is a Knowledg together of many objects These Conscience doth not abstractly or apart consider but always conjoyns in its proceeds and operation knitting one knowledg and object to another and conjoyning one to another Adding science unto science as one saith b Sanders de Oblig Conse Praelect 1. §. 6. The universal knowledg or the knowledg of law and right to the particular knowledg or the knowledg of the fact by applying one unto the other 2. The nature of Conscience I shall briefly discuss in explicating this definition Conscience in man is mans judgment of himself i.e. of his estate and actions as it and they are subjected to the judgment of God The definitions and descriptions hereof are variously given by various Authors This of Dr. Ames a De Cons l. 1. c. 1. n. 1. seems to me very consonant and comprehensive enough which is closed with by devout Fenner b Treat of Cons p. 32 and by Dr. Anneslie c Cripleg Lect. Ser. 1. p. 3. This speaks its nature and suits with Scripture Judg you Judg in your selves If we would judg our selves Judg between me and my Vineyard Act. 14.19 1 Cor. 11.13 31. Isa 5.3 First I say 't is mans judgment I know there is who likes not the mention hereof in the definition of Conscience Because saith he some acts of Conscience cannot without some force or straining be referred hither But I must acknowledg without any ill reflection had on an Author whom I do so highly reverence that the force of this reason is not so ponderous and pressing with me while this which I adhere unto hath the favour and countenance of the Scripture as before and while in a fair construction Conscience judgeth what is the matter of law before it in the first proposition what is the matter of fact in the second proposition and is most strictly and plainly acknowledged to be a Judg in the third proposition Q. What is the subject of the Conscience wherin it resideth Conscience then is mans Judgment and so appertaineth to the Understanding not to the Speculative understanding which judgeth only of things as true and hath this alone for its object but to the practical underderstanding which judgeth of things not only as true but in their tendency also or as they are operable or ordinable to action Conscience appertaineth then to the practical intellect c Vid. Saunders de oblig Cons Prae. 1. § 21. Rutherf Libert of Consc c. 1. p. 4 5. Baldw. Cas Cons l. 1. c. 3. not to the speculative nor to the will Conscience is a conjunct science as hath been said The heart knoweth its own bitterness Prov. 18.14 Oft times also thine heart knoweth that thou also hast cursed others Eccles 7.22 But the will is a blind and no knowing power as is generally acknowledged Nevertheless it is true that as the will hath no small influence upon the Conscience to interrupt it in and to encline and engage it to the discharge of its acts and offices so the Conscience doth in the discharge thereof include therewith at least infer thereupon suitable inclinations ordinarily in and impressions on the will I might add and upon the affections also its judgment usually being received either with delight and joy on the one hand or with displicence Q. Whether Conscience be an act power or habit dread and grief on the other But now whether Conscience be an habit or act or power of the practical understanding is of a more strict and subtil disquisition among the School-men for accommodation whereof consult our own learned Saunderson * De Obl. Conscient Prael 1. §. 7. ad 2◠Burges Or. sin part 3. c. 2. s 1. Truth is 't is but very little we understand of our own selves a labour of unquestionable difficulty to define and discriminate things of so near a cognation in nature and connexion in use and exercise as powers habits and acts are Yet something must be left for loosing and untying this knot Conscience is sometimes of a larger sometimes of a stricter and more limited acceptation 1. Conscience is sometimes largely taken and in the vulgar use of this term it is of a very large
circumference and comprehension It is of known and confessed observation that the judgment of Conscience is not consummate or perfected but by discourse in some practical Syllogism which is still formally or else virtually done * Vid. Ames de Consc l. 1. c 1. n. 7 8 9 10. As thus He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved But I believe and am baptized Therefore I shall be saved In the first proposition you have the Truth which Conscience dictates and therein still shines forth the light and laws of Conscience In the second you have the Testimony which Conscience delivers and therein we still see the written Records and witnessing reflections and reports of Conscience In the third you have the Sentence denounced by Conscience and herein Conscience sits most properly as a Judg. Now thus within the circumference of Conscience are these three things with a different respect unto which Conscience may be accounted either a power or habit or act 1. there is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conserved truths and laws of Conscience which are still had in the first proposition 2. And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience more properly so called or the consentient Testimony of Conscience which is still assumed in the second proposition 3. And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conclusory judgment which is still made in the last proposition All these fall vvithin Conscience its lines of communication its large and usual acceptation * Rutherf Libert of Consc c. 1. p. 6 7. And indeed all these are manifestly included in the having and exercise of a good Conscience professed by Paul Heb. 13.18 Act. 24.16 and in the advice and exhortation which is pressed by Peter 1 Pet. 3.16 Having a good Conscience c. i.e. a Conscience well principled with truth as concerns the former proposition and well performing its testimony and judicial sentence as concerns the two latter A Conscience conserving good laws and conformably giving a good suffrage or testimony and a good sentence or judgment With respect to the former unless as it is subjectively taken for that intellective practical power wherein these laws are engraven which yet we usually say are written in the Conscience it is an intellective habit as the Schools * Aquin. Sum. 1. q. 79. a. 12. Sayr clav reg c. 2. generally determine and ours * Ames de Consc l. 1. c. 2 n. 1. c. also of the first principles about good and evil With respect to the latter I humbly conceive it is a power of the practical understanding of which by and by And as it is taken effectivè for an act or motion of the Conscience as it is used in 1 Pet. 2.9 If a man for Conscience sake towards God endure grief c. i.e. for the dictates and directions and so discharge o◠his Conscience so it may be described by an act 2. Conscience is strictly taken as hath been noted And that it is not an act in this sense as Aquinas * Sum. q. 79. a. 13. and his Followers do contend seems to me evident Partly because there are the acts of Conscience as to accuse acquit c. and acts do not flow from acts but either from some forms or power or habit 2. And because of the absurdity thereupon consequent If Conscience were an act then Conscience were not when it acted not and should cease to be as often as we sleep or Conscience doth cease to act which is against the evidence both of Nature and Scripture which states it to be Conscience still though now seared 1 Tim. 4.2 I close with them rather who call it a power a See Perkins Treat of Consc vol. 1. p. 517. Baldw. cas l. 1. c. 3. Rutherf lib. of cons c. 1. p. 3. c. Huit of Consc p. 87. rather than an habit of the practical intellect◠though it be true that the other opinion hath its strong and subtil patrons b Scotus Duran l. 2 Distin. 39 and specious and shrewd pretensions Not only 1 in that Conscience cites and calls before it all the other powers sifts sits upon and censureth them c Harris Pauls Exercise But in that 2 it is contradistinguished from another power viz. the Mind Tit. 1.15 3 In that by this men have their potency to the acts hereafter mentioned Qu. 4. 4 And also in that it is proper to and inseparable from any the sons of men and therefore is as natural as any other power of man whatsoever Yet that Conscience may in no sense be called an habit as well as is science for the reasons by a Modern d Sanders ibid. §. 16 17 18. given I shall not impugn Secondly Q. What is the object of Conscien which it respecteth and treats I add Conscience is Mans judgment of himself i.e. of his estate and actions Conscience rides circuit throughout all the man ând reflects upon all in and of man 'T is set up as a Judg not only in Mans self 1 Cor. 11.13 but of mans self v. 31. Conscience is therefore placed as it were in the midst between God and man as an arbitrator to give sentence and to pronounce either with man or against man unto God So Perkins * Treat of Consc c. 1. There is nothing of us or ours hid from the inspection enquiries and judgment of Conscience neither our estate nor actions * See Annesley Cripl lect p. 4. 'T is the candle of the Lord. searching all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 1. For Mans Estate It is not only put upon the scrutiny of our estates once and again 2 Cor. 13.5 Psal 4.4 cum 3. but passeth sentence frequently Conscience told the Goaler and those Jews that they were in a lost and miserable estate so that they cried out Sirs what must we do to be saved Act. 16.30 2.37 Conscience tells John and other Believers in Jesus that they were in a safe and happy estate We know that we are passed from death to life Joh. 3.14 See also ver 19 21. 2. As for Mans Actions It sees into and sits upon and sentenceth all of them whether external or internal whether duties and services or defects and sins whether toward God or toward man all acts concerning holiness or honesty Act. 24.16 Heb. 13.18 Conscience looks inward to and judgeth of the root spring and sincerity of our actions Heb. 9.14 2 Cor. 1.12 Outward to the fruits and circumstances of our actions 2 Cor. 4.2 2 Tim. 1.3 4. Upward to approve its actions in Gods eye and to answer Gods ends and his engagements 2 Cor. 2.17 1 Pet. 3.21 Downward by an holy activity and self-judging to avoid the severe judgments there prepared 1 Cor. 11.31 32 It looks backward upon former actions and smiteth for them if they have been evil 2 Sam. 24.10 And forward also toward future actions cautioning us against such as are evil that we decline them
Gen. 39.9 And charging us to such as are good to do them 1 Pet. 3.16 The object of Conscience then is very large and extensive So that as one saith * Annesley qu. supra 'T is much easier to reckon up what is not the object of Conscience then what is In brief whatsoever is morally operable is the object of Conscience whatsoever Conscience doth or may operate about in a Moral sense and so takes in both our estate toward God and all our actions not only such as are moral operables in a stricter sense but such as are only thus in a larger sense as is Evangelical faith it self to be accounted * Sanders Prael 1. §. 23. This being as the command so the work of God that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ Joh. 6.29 1 Joh. 3.23 Nay there is not an act of that Moral indifferency which we may call properly humane the indeliberate and immoral actions of man which grow out of the imagination and disposition of natural qualities I except as being not in propriety of speech humane as not proceeding from the Soul as reasonable * Aquin. Sum. 12. q. 18. a. 9. I say there is not so indifferent an act which comes not within the sight and censure of Conscience though not as such or secundum speciem yet in its singular existence and as 't is circumstanced by which circumstances Conscience considers it made either morally good or else morally evil Thus Davids heart smote him but for cutting off the skirt of a garment an act in it self indifferent But Conscience attends the circumstances It was the skirt of Saul his Sovereign and Gods Substitute and therefore a sin in him who was his subject servant c. 1 Sam. 24.5 6. Thirdly Q. What is the end of Conscience to which it resers 'T is Mans judgment of himself i.e. of his estate and actions as it and they are subjected to the judgment of God Conscience being Gods Substitute and set by God himself upon the throne of Judicature doth therefore subordinate all to God all its objects and in all its operations It eyes God as the supream Judg both of it and of them in its regular acts and exercises Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Psal 139.23 24. Nor doth Conscience ascite either the estate or any action into or sit upon them in judgment but as they and it are subjected to him who is superiour to the Conscience greater than the heart and knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3.20 21. Truth is when Conscience acts it self it is steered by and subordinated to the judgment of God in its whole judicial process In the first proposition 't is ruled by and subjected to the judgment of God in point of truth or as to matter of law In the second proposition 't is ruled by and subjected to it in point of testimony or as to matter of fact and therefore in the third proposition which is but a result from and upon the two former there cannot but be a subordination and subjection still had and made either virtually or formally to the same righteous and unerring judgment How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God saith Conscience in Joseph As I have done so God hath requited me saith Conscience in Adoni-bezek Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judg ye say Peter and John to the Jewish Rulers when they would set Conscience in them at work Gen. 39.9 Judg. 1.7 Act. 4.19 The office of Conscience then in general is to judg for from and under God which is inclusive of many particular acts or as some please to phrase it offices whereof I shall give you a succinct view in opening a sixth Question Q. 6. What are the Offices of Conscience and how may we so order her and our selves in them as to come off with more clearness The Offices of Conscience are best observed and opened by a review of the manner of its operation or judgment which is by way of Discourse in a practical Syllogism as hath been already mentioned Let me offer two instances more Thus All that have the Lord for their God are in an happy or blessed estate But I have the Lord for my God Therefore I am in an happy or blessed estate Again All sin is to be avoided for it self But this idleness of mine is sin Therefore This idleness of mine is to be avoided for it self Here are two Syllogisms which shew the manner of Conscience its operations both as concerns my estate in the first Syllogism and as concerns action of mine in the latter In each Syllogism there are as you see three propositions This is the proceeding of Conscience in all the judgments it maketh The offices of Conscience are obviously pointed us out in and by these several Propositions The first Proposition still manifestly contains some general law or rule whereby I may come to a clear issue in judgment what my actions have been or else should be and what my estate is Thus Conscience hath the office of a Law-giver thus she is to conserve for us and 1. to communieate or dictate to us laws or rules of general right and verity as concern our estates and actions And so the Apostle sometimes appeals it Know ye not i.e. do not your Consciences tell you that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience to righteousness Rom. 6.16 i.e. Do not your Consciences dictate as much as this So 1 Cor. 11.13 14. Judg in your selves c. Conscience is appealed to in this general concernment Is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered Again Doth not even nature it self i.e. doth not even natural Conscience teach you that if a man have long hair it is a shame unto him 3. To chalk out and descry our liberty As it is to dictate law or what must be in matters necessary so it is to discern liberty what may or may not be in matters of indifferency * Ames de Consc l. 1. c 3. n. 1. Q. 5 p. 26. That Conscience hath to order and officiate for us in thing adiaphorous is afore premised the Apostle prompteth 1 Cor. 10.25 27. I know there are that approve not the mention of these acts to the account of Conscience But the twofold acceptation of Conscience tendered you Quest 5. pag. 21. a more large and in a more limited sense may salve their exceptions And that such dictates and laws appertain to Conscience in the common and received usage of Conscience which I am particularly concerned to attend needs no other proof than the frequency of such speeches among us My Conscience tells me Men should do to others as they would
be done by My Conscience tells me such and such things must be done which are matters of general right and equity And they that deny such clear and commonly received laws of general right are in common speech said to offer violence to their Consciences So my Conscience tells me such and such matters may be declined and forborn which are matters of indifferency 'T is true there is no small difference between the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the conservation of such laws and rules and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Conscience strictly so called * See Baldw. Cas Cons l. 1. c 4. But I must follow the vulgar usage and sense of this term as most fitting my design There is an habit bank and treasury of light and laws with Conscience and which it conserves Here is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is the application of them had and made by Conscience here is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second and third Propositions still make application of some general law or rule had in the first Proposition to a mans particular estate or actions Thus it is the office of Conscience to apply general Propositions and Canons to a mans personal and particular case and concern And indeed the Thomists * Aquin. Sum. 1. q. 79. a. 13 do make Conscience to be nothing else but an application of the knowledg or light which is in the Synteresis and therefore define it to be an act Though to speak properly as one * Sanders Prael 1. de Consc §. 14. observeth the application of science is not Conscience it self but an act of it And as another * Rutherf libert of Consc c. 1. p. 6. saith 'T is the same Conscience that acts all three parts of a law of a witness and of a judg The second Propofition contains the direct testimony of Conscience and with respect to this the office of Conscience in general is that of a witness Thus Paul suggests of his own and touching the Conscience of the Gentiles My Conscience also bearing me witness Rom. 9.1 Their Consciences also bearing witness Rom. 2.15 The witness of Conscience may be either considered 1. as it is in habit and rests upon record Or 2. as it is in act or is reduced thereunto which is by two steps 1. Conscience casts back a reflection upon its own records of our estate and actions and considers and ruminates upon them And then 2. Conscience comes forth and reports to us how the case now stands or hath stood agreeable to those records and to this reflection The office or act of Conscience then in respect of the second Proposition is threefold 1. To register and book down what a man is and doth And in truth Conscience is as one * Sheffield good Cons c. 4. p. 52. well the great Register and Recorder of the world It hath the pen of a ready writer Not a word from the mouth not a work of man not a thought of the mind can escape or pass its swift pen. It is Gods Historian saith Dr. Reynolds * Of the Passions c. 41. that writes not Annals but Journals Conscience hath its book and had its table whereon it did indelebly write both the sins of Judah and the sincerity of Job Rev. 20.12 Jer. 17.1 Job 27.6 2. To reflect and bring back to the heart as the expression of Solomon is in the margin of 1 King 8.47 Conscience is to every man not only as his private Notary but as his petty-Constable to search into and seize upon every miscarrying act and habit Conscience reviews its register recalls and reads over its records Here are those sayings in and sayings to the heart that Scripture and experience tell us of Jer. 5.24 Hos 7.2 marg Those communings with our hearts and calling upon our own actions and estates those countings and self-searches how the case stands Psal 4.4.77.6 Herewith Conscience comparing our past actions and intentions with the Canons and rules conserved in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ruminates and bethinks according to the case and concern before it Conscience considers the matter I considered in my heart saith the Preacher or I gave or set to my heart Hebr. Eccles 9.1 Conscience is not only to consult its books or cast back an eye but to consider the affair before it attentively Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hostes consider your ways Hebr. Set your heart on your ways Hag. 1.5.7 Here are those layings to heart we read of in the Prophets Jer. 5.24 Mal. 2.2 3. To report and bring forth its testimony according as the matter hath been or is Thus Conscience in Josephs Brethren had taken and bookt down their sin after this turns back and tells them of it and of the circumstances wherewith Conscience considered it to be aggravated We saw the anguish of his Soul and we would not hear c. Gen. 42.21 22. Conscience in Pharaohs Butler had recorded did recall rip up and read him his faults Gen. 41.9 David Job and Paul are contumeliously censured and cried out upon Conscience casts back a reflection consults its own records considers their uprightness and the others reproaches and cleareth up their righteousness Psal 7.3 4. Job 27.5 6 c. 2 Cor. 1.12 As this is the office of Conscience to give testimony in relation to what is past so also in relation to what is present Conscience witnesseth both 1. what we are or what our estate is The spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the Sons of God Rom. 8.16 2. And what we act or what our actions are Witness Pauls example I speak the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witness Rom. 9.1 3. And whatever you are or intend Psal 17.3 2 Cor. 1.17 The third Proposition contains the decisive judgment of Conscience and with respect to this most properly and strictly the office of Conscience is to judg If we would judg our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 Confcience is herein judicially to apply the truth dictated in the first Proposition upon the testimony delivered in the second Proposition and doth infer the Conclusion from those premises according to its apprehension of the rule or law in the first or major Proposition and according to its attestation and report of our life or actions in the second or minor Proposition The judgment conscience pronounceth sometimes respects our estate and sometimes respecteth our actions and both of them either 1. as good or else 2. as evil And thus again either 1. as it respects the time past or present or else 2. as it respects the time future either as they have formerly been or now are or henceforth should be First as it respects the time past and present The office of Conscience in regard of what is and hath been good is to acquit and clear In regard of what is and hath been evil it 's
to accuse and condemn Rom. 2.15 Their Conscience also bearing them witness and their thoughts the mean while excusing or else accusing one another 1. If the estate and actions be or have been good Conscience is accordingly to acquit and clear This it doth 1. to and before God as its superior in judgment whom it doth 1. sometime appeal as the supream Judg. Judg me O Lord according to my righteousness and according to mine integrity that is in me Psal 7.8.26 1. And 2. sometimes it apologizeth and excuseth us to him not by extenuating our sin * Excusatio enim hic non strictiore sensu accipitur quo diminutionem vel attenuationem culpae designat sed illo quo plenam culpae reatus amotionem notat Ames but by insisting on our sincerity Lord saith Abimelech in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Hezekiah Gen. 20.5 6. Isa 38.3 This it doth also 2. from God as his substitute in the judgment from whence Conscience is by office to approve and absolve 1. To approve the good and so our hearts are assured before and we have confidence toward God 1 Joh. 3.19 21. I have finished my course saith Paul I have kept the faith Conscience approves it and so assures him Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me c. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 2. To absolve from evil 1. from evils threatned by Gods laws the evil of divine indignation 1 Joh. 3.21 22 Nay saith Conscience whatever be the charges laid against him or crosses lay before him Who is he that condemneth it is God that justifieth In all these things I am more than a conquerour through him that loved me Rom. 8.31 to the end 2. â—â—rom evils thrown upon him by mens lusts the evils of humane imputations and hard censures Amidst all calumnies Conscience acquits Job and asserts his integrity Let his adversaries write a book against him he can bind their censures as a crown unto him Let them reproach him of hypocrisie Yet saith he till I die I will not remove my integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job 31.5 to the end 27.5 6. 2. If the estate or actions be or have been bad Conscience is by office judicially to accuse and condemn I say judicially to accuse because it 's accusation per modum testis as a witness appertaineth to the second Proposition Thus it likewise doth 1. As to and before God to and before whom it accuseth us and causeth us to acknowledg our guilt Thus Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done c. 2 Sam. 24.10 And after he had gone in to Bathsheba Against thee thee only I have sinned and done this evil in thy sight c. Psal 51.4 2. As from and under God who is greater than the Conscience So Conscience is by office 1. To convict the sinner and doth conclude it as to the sinful state and actions for which it stands arraigned before it Witness those Jews Joh. 8.9 Who were convicted by their own Consciences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convincere causam eò deducere ut obijci enti praetexi nihil amplius queat Hyperius So shut up by arguments and by the authority of this Judg that they could not start from it 2. To censure and set a brand and mark of infamy upon the sin So David in the Text before 2 Sam. 24.10 I have done very foolishly And elsewhere So foolish was I and ignorant I was a beast before thee Psal 73.22 Here the least Conscience as a Judg can do is dislike and displicence with the sin and with it self for sin The evil which I do I allow not saith Paul Rom. 7.15 3. To condemn 1 Joh. 3.20 i.e. to pronounce the sentence which is a sentence of condemnation to the sinner where the estate is bad whereof is no reversal but upon repentance Act. 2.37 38. Tit. 3.11 A sentence of castigation and to contrition where the estate is good Jer. 31.19 and is still a sentence of condemnation to the sin and for the crucifying of the same whether the estate be good or bad Lam. 3.39 40 41. Secondly as it respects time future and what is to be Thus Conscience is by office in particular not only 1. to tell us or hold forth what is right and what is wrong what is good and what is evil to us in particular agreeable to the general law in the first Proposition But 2. to tye and oblige us respectively to that evil and to this good agreeably still to the same law in the same proposition And 3. to thrust forward excite or impell us for the avoiding of that evil and for the attaining or doing of this good with accord still to that general light or law In relation to these Offices the holy Scriptures speaks of the Conscientious man as one stirred as one bound as one pressed in his own spirit Act. 17.16 18.5.20 22. He is not only a debtor Rom. 1.14 But there is a necessity upon him as from Gods command so from his own Conscience He is constrained and cannot chuse unless he should offer violence to his own Conscience but do what his Conscience dictates 1 Cor. 9 16. 2 Cor. 5.14 Act. 4.20 I am not ignorant that these three last Offices of Conscience are commonly placed elsewhere and conceived to appertain rather to the first Proposition But in that Conscience doth therein dictate but the general right or law and these acts do evidently include a particular respect and application to a mans own estate or action and this conclusive as to his estate and action As the operation of Conscience aforesaid doth obviously witness I do therefore rather chuse to place them here Not that I blame others for the liberty which they please to take nor shall bind up my self strictly this order in the progress of this Discourse Q. 7. How may and should we so order our Conscience in relation to the first Proposition that they offer us true and right Laws and Rules and none but such concerning our estates * See Q. 3. Direct 1. in Chap. 3. and actions To this end it is necessary that you 1. Direct 1 Store your Conscience that she have a stock and treasury of knowledg a bank and habit of all necessary laws and rules of practice that as a scribe instructed to the Kingdom she may bring forth out of her treasury things both new and old as any occasion offers For how shall she be able to give rules if she hath them not or teach you if her self be untaught
If the blind lead the blind they both fall into the ditch Mat. 13.52 Rom. 2.21 Mat. 15.14 Therefore 1. apply your hearts to instruction not your ears or eyes or heads only but your hearts in the use of Scriptures and of all subservient helps and means which God hath appointed for the attaining and advancement of sound knowledg Prov. 2.2.23.12 Psal 90.12 Excite and engage the pursuits and desires of thine heart the determinate purposes of thy will See thou be not willingly ignorant hear instruction and refuse it not Be daily at Wisdoms-gates wait at the posts of her doors Lo now you have a promise if you apply your hearts to its pursuance Prov. 18.1 2 Pet. 3.5 Prov. 8.33 34 35.2.2 10 2. Let instruction abide upon your hearts What is it to furnish a common-place-book with what thou readest and hearest furnish Conscience rather At least transcribe thy Notes from thy Books into thy breast Nor think it enough that thou hast apt rules for all Cases in thy Bible they must be nearer hand too in thy bosom Write them upon the table of thine heart Hear what God speaketh to thee Let thine heart retain my words Let thine heart keep my Commandments keep them in the midst of thine heart Prov. 3.3 c. 7.3 c. 4.4 21. c. 3.1 Thy word have I hid in mine heart saith David that I might not sin against thee To this is the promise of knowledg and thou mayst be confident that when wisdom entereth into the heart Discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee Psal 119.11 Prov. 2.1 5. c. 2.10 11. 2. Direct 2 Stay your Conscience from the evils to which she is incident and the extreams wherewith she is often intangled Especially stay her from these evils 1. The affectation and itch of singularity and science falsly so called as also of curious and unprofitable questions humane traditions c. For these will but bring her into snares bewray her to Satan feed her disease and sickness and fetch her off from the divine simplicity which the Scriptures use in the Doctrine which is according to godliness 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5 20 21. Tit. 1.14 Mat. 15.9 2 Cor. 11.3 2. From ambiating and indulging a carnal liberty which will not be either checkt or confined by the restraint of law and rules Psal 2.3.12.4 'T is true where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And that ye are called unto liberty but not such as serves the interess and inclinations of the flesh or snaps asunder bonds of obedience Still you are the servants of God and so are under a law of liberty His precepts are Gyves upon your lusts but give you liberty If Conscience aspires after a carnal liberty she is in hazard of the most lamentable captivity 2 Cor. 3.17 Gal. 5.17 1 Pet. 2.16 Jam. 1.25 2 Pet. 2.19 3. From arrogance either in justifying her self as if she knew enough already This will precipitate and out-law Conscience perverts and overthrows knowledg prevents and obviates all care and endeavour for its improvement and encrease Rom. 1.22 1 Cor. 3.18 2 Cor. 8.2 Prov. 26.12 Or in imposing on your selves The rules she dictateth may not be without much less against the revelation or direction of God She is not Sarah the Mistress but Hagar an handmaid under God though above you and is to conserve and manifest rules to you not to create and make rules for you 4. From inordinate haste to which she is oft-times too prone and by which she is often-times perverted both in the determining and dictating of rules Let not thine heart be hasty Bid thy Conscience as the Levite did the Children of Israel consider and take advice first and then speak her mind that thou mayst be able to say with the Preacher For all this I considered in mine heart Eccles 5.2 Judg. 19.30 Psal 50.22 Eccles 6.1 3. Sift your Consciences Direct 4 and put your case to the ouestion in them 1. Sift what rules have they in this case 'T will actuate sleepy habits and awaken Conscience to attend your several affairs therefore the Apostle doth often appeal Conscience thus What! know ye not i.e. do not your Consciences tell ye this and that Rom. 6.3 16.7.1 1 Cor. 3.16 17.5.6.6.2 3 9 15 16 19.9.13 24. 2. Sift them by their rule Thou sayest this is your rule But tell me O my Conscience doth the law of my God say so too Where hath he revealed it where read'st thou it where is it written in the book of Nature or of Scripture shew it me for why shouldst thou measure thy self by thy self And if thou bind the law continually upon thy heart behold God hath assured thee When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee Luk. 10.26 2 Corinth 10.12 Prov. 6.21 22. 3. Sift them before their Ruler hath not God written to thee O my Conscience excellent things in counsel and knowledg that thou mightest know the certainty of the words of truth Wilt thou say this is the truth as in his sight Hath he not set thee up as a Preacher in my bosom to receive the Law at his mouth and cause me to hear his words and wilt thou Oh! do not prophesie deceits and speak the visions of thine own heart and say he sent me as the false Prophets sometimes did Behold he knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with him Prov. 22.20 21. Rom. 9.1 Jer. 23.16 c. Dan. 2.22 4. Direct 4 Speak to your Consciences If they are slack in determining or slow in dictating general rules quicken and call them to their work It may be she is silent and doth not speak to thee because thou art silent and dost not speak to her Set to thine heart as the Preacher saith he did Jer. 5.24 Eccles 9.1 Urge her from 1. thy necessity of a rule in this case 2. from the nature of a rule which should be known and clear 3. from her nature and office who is to receive the rule from the supream Legislator and reveal it to thee 4. from the notoriety of that account which she must one day render unto him 5. Direct 5 Speak to God for your Conscience Sincere prayer is of no small prevalence in this case It giveth up Conscience into the hands of God its ruler and getteth down grace for the accomplishment of Conscience with rules Beg God 1. to instruct thy Conscience that he will open thine eyes and not hide his Commandments from thee that he teach thee in the way of his statutes and give thee an understanding that thou maist know his testimonies so David and with Job say to him That which I know not teach thou me Psal 119.18 19 33 34 125. Job 34.22 2. To incline and establish thy Conscience O! let me not wander from thy Commandments Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments Encline my heart to thy
testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy statutes Psal 119.10 35 36.80 6. Direct 6 Spend more of your time in consideration This will concoct what you already know and convert it into blood and spirits It improveth both the quickness and clearness of Conscience while truths are revolved upon the heart and it runs them over again with fresh attention and intention of the several faculties The most considerate Christian is the most knowing and best thriveth in his Conscience Her miscarriages are the issue of inconsiderateness Psal 1.1 2.64.9 Ecles 5.1 The iterated acts of meditation will 1. habituate the principles which you already know 't will root them deeper and rivet them faster upon the mind and memory And Conscience will be ever and anon calling them into counsel Psal 119.15 16 23 24. 2. They 'l affect and pour in oyl upon the flames of love delight and desire toward these and such other principles O how love I thy law saith David What was it that kindled and caused it to burn up to such an height It is my meditation all the day Psal 119.15 16 48 97. 3. They 'l advance these principles to an higher progress and proficiency in knowledg Meditation will not only be dilating on them but deducing inferences from them and drawing on the judgment and conscience from one field of truth to another for the delicious views of the full harvest of divine verities having drunk in so much sweetness already from a few sheaves of it This was it inlarged Davids understanding beyond his teachers and above the ancients as well as above his enemies Thy testimonies are my meditation Psal 119.98 99 100. Lastly Direct 7 Sin not against your Conscience but render your selves conformable to what rules she giveth Some men sin against her rules till they have sinned away her rules till God and Conscience give them over to their own lusts instead of giving them out his laws That as they loved to restrain the truth in unrighteousness and liked not to retain God in their knowledg they shall run where they lift for a time with a reprobate and remorsless Conscience Psal 81.11 12. Isa 6.9 10 11. Rom. 1.18 21 24 28. But Sirs if you would have Conscience true in giving rules to you you must be true to the rules which Conscience gives you you encourage Conscience when you exemplifie her laws in your lives and conversations But if you turn not her directions into duties you tempt her to deal at most but by halves with you as you do at best with her The doers of the Commandments have the most discerning Conscience and dwell most in comforts If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them He that doth what he knoweth is most likely to know what to do He is secured by promise If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine and God will manifest himself to him Ps 111.10 Joh. 13.17.7.17.14.21 Q. 8. How should we so order our Conscience in relation to the second Proposition that she may give us a true and right testimony and none but such concerning our estates * See Chap. 3. Q. 3. Dir. 2. and actions To this end it is necessary That you 1. Ply your Conscience with arguments Direct 1 The influence of rational inducements with her cannot be small in that her seat and fixation is in the very highest orb of reason So that the more reasons you offer the more ready must she be caeteris paribus to her office and the more regular in her operations You may urge her 1 from her ability Thou and thou only under God canst fully and clearly testifie For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him God hath set thee up as a shining lamp for surveying all the several periods and acts of my life and thou searchest all the inward parts of the heart metaphorically expressed by the belly 1 Cor. 2.11 Prov. 2.27 2. From her authority For this art thou constituted by God in and over me And this is his command upon thee to testifie what is my consonancy to or dissonancy from those laws he hath imposed on or engraven in me Thou hast his warrant and 't is thy work to witness a work approved by him in Scripture and agreeable to thy nature Who can exempt or what shall excuse thee Rom. 2.15 3. From her avail Thy single testimony alone doth supercede the witness of the whole world besides I can appeal from them to thee but from thee I can appeal to none but God Next under his thy witness is of highest weight both with him and me Job 23.10 11 12. Rom. 9. â— 4. From her acts Why didst thou dictate truths and laws to me if thou wilt deny thy testimony to my life By those I know what God appointeth and demandeth of me but 't is by this alone I can know what I am and what is done by me Should I know his statutes only or should I not also know my own self 2 Cor. 13.5 Besides how canst thou otherwise descend to judgment who passeth sentence without some previous evidence And if this be unsound that cannot be safe So that deny or deprave thy witness and thou undoest thy whole work 5. From her advantage Witness thou must and shalt Now it may be done with less smart and more security then if thou shouldst defer it till the cords of distress or fetters of death and judgment do constrain thee 6. From her account An account thou must render at Gods Bar shortly He will then open the book of Conscience and every line of thy heart and life shall be read over distinctly He now observeth what reflections and reports Conscience maketh of what hath been done by thee and hath eminently marked out her silence as a sore evil in thee Jer. 8.6 Eccles 4.8 7 From what attends Why O my Conscience my work and welfare both as to time and eternity do all turn upon this one hinge How can I repent either from or for my past or present sins or state if sinful on the one hand Or how can I rejoyce in or be thankful for my past or present sincerity and Gods salvation on the other if thy silence or partiality in giving witness shall leave me still under the thick and dark vail of ignorance 2. Press her by and before authority Direct 2 Subpoena her to appear at Gods Bar and there argue with her Psal 50.22 Jer. 12.3 Art thou not 1 to witness from him hath not he substituted and sent thee How wilt thou answer it to him then whom thou abusest infinitely if thou adventure either to suspend thy testimony or to speak untruly 2 Art thou not to witness for him i.e. in his cause and concern as well as on his commission Durst thou so slight his honour and therewith thine obligations as either to speak wickedly for him or to be speechless or
or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which speaks back what they should have been or now should be So that Conscience in her reflection is both to consult her own records and to compare the concern before her wherein she is to witness with those holy rules I advise then that you 1. Direct 1 Send your Conscience to search her own Records Here her actions are all bookt as before Q. 9. let her reflect hither remember and read them over without which you cannot now reach the end or reap the benefit of their being so reposited Remember this how they are enrolled and why Call it again to mind O ye transgressors to use the words of the Prophet Isa 46.8 Now that you may consult these records aright and have Conscience to reflect It s requisite that there be 1 Self-denial without which this work will not be done at all or not aright but Conscience like the unjust Steward will be writing fifty for an hundred For be sure your wills and affections yea Conscience it self through the corruption that cleaves to it will be drawing back from such a difficult and flesh-displeasing work or at most will not dwell long upon it And therefore the Apostle doubleth the charge Examine your selves prove your own selves as knowing how hardly we are brought to it and how the heart hangs back from it Luk. 16.6 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Serious deliberation lest you misread and misunderstand her records and the result be a mistake and misrepresentation of your case which will minister nothing but matter for repentance as it did unto David I said in my haste c. Psal 31.22 and 116.11 3 A steady diligence My spirit made diligent search Psal 77.6 1. In rubbing up and ransacking the memory where these records lie as in their most proper repository For many of our actions lie there rather as so much rubbish which we have swept out of sight then as so many records that are orderly shelv'd up for a surveigh 2. In reiterating this method our actions many times lie so far off and so many things interpose between them and the eye of Conscience that there must be a raised and repeated diligence yea and giving all diligence to remove other matters and to reduce them again to our minds 'T is therefore called a bringing back to the heart 2 Pet. 1.10 1 King 8.47 Isa 46.8 3. In the reception and right nicking of the means The court of records stands not always open and 't is ill slipping the first season Now diligence would be doing e're the doors are shut and the draught by Conscience is yet fresh and unsullied As David sometimes immediately reflected upon the cutting off of Sauls garment and upon his numbring the people But at another time when he yields to his own sloth and falls not in with the first season Vriah is murdered and his Wife constuprated by him c. and he never casts a reflex upon either of these prodigious acts yea notwithstanding the Parable came so pat and plain upon him till the Prophet was fain to put himself in the place of Conscience and tell him Thou art the man and you know what this negligence cost him 1 Sam. 24.5 2 Sam. 24.10 Chap. 11 and 12. Psal 51. 2. Direct 2 Set Conscience by those holy rules whereon she must reflect The rule is of necessary reflection on and of as needful resolution in witness-bearing For how shall Conscience witness or reflect on this as good or on that as good but by comparing this and that with the rule which can alone resolve her what is good and what is bad Now as Gods revealed will is the only rule and measure of all moral good and evil so the reflection of Conscience connoteth a respect to this rule For Conscience doth not cast back an enquiry after the physical being of an action as whether I have eat or drunk but after the moral being of that action as whether I have eat or drunk to Gods glory c. as his law enjoyns me or else to excess c. as his law inhibits me Mic. 6.8 1 Joh. 3.4 1 Cor. 10.31 Eph. 5.18 Now hereunto these three things are requisite which though they are not of that obvious necessity and distinct use in those sudden and transient reflections which Conscience often maketh yet are they of very needful observation and useful distinctness in her more solemn and abiding reflections in the more serious returns we are to make upon our selves as before the Sacrament c. or when we undertake the solemn examination of our selves 1. Set the rule before thy Conscience in its spiritual power purity and in the several parts of it On this she is to reflect and by this she must be regulated 'T is not enough that you have them lying in habit with the sunteresis but they should be now actually educed and brought forth to view For in that you are now to search your selves by them you must take an actual surveigh of them David therefore did not satisfie himself that the laws of God were ever with him but he did expose and lay them before him Thy judgments have I laid before me Psal 119.30 cum 98. And without this the course you are now taking will be much-what ineffectual and can never be fully commensurate with your design this duty or Gods demand who bids you take heed to your ways according to his word Psal 119.9 2. Sift your Conscience and therewith your lives and actions by the rules compare her and them with this Examine your selves prove your own selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as men try metals by bringing them to their proper measure as Gold and Silver to the touch-stone 2 Cor. 13.5 Self-discussion by the divine standard is of singular advantage both for the discovery of your sins as David and Paul found it and for the drawing out a discovery of your sincerity as Job Ps 19.11 12. Rom. 7.8 9 c. Job 23.10 11. Will you but cast an eye on this glass you should see more of the nature and number of your sins the nature necessity and beauty of Gods service and continuing therein should contract his blessing on your selves Jam. 1.25 But in your solemn examinations let me advise you to call forth the laws of God and rules of godliness successively and distinctly and so to compare the several periods of your lives with them both in the matter and manner of your actions Hath the matter of my life born accord to this that and the other precepts or hath there not been an attempt on and violation of both this and that and the other prohibition For the manner of my actions have they been done upon that account and with those aimes affections c. that these rules prescribe me and whereupon they promise a blessing to me By this course Conscience will be 1. Less complicated in her work through the artifices of sin or Satan They usually hide their
which see 1 Cor. 8.7 10 12. Rom. 15.1 As Conscience 1 apprehends and dictates laws duly and aright or defectively and amiss So far as to this Conscience is either due right and good Here is the true Conscience Or 2. defective wrong and evil Here is the false Conscience between which as participating sometimes of this sometimes of that extream stands the 3d. probable Conscience 1. If Conscience dictates laws duly and aright these laws it dictateth are either imprinted and drawn forth upon the mind within and so are known by the light of natural reason Or 2. imparted by divine manifestation from without and so are known only by a star of greater magnitude the light of supra-natural revelation With accord to this there is 1 the natural Conscience and 2 the enlightned Conscience And we find the Apostle sometimes appealing that and sometimes this 1 Cor. 6.2 3 9 15 16 19. Know ye not c. i.e. Do not your Consciences tell ye as much 2. If Conscience dictates laws defectively and amiss then it is either 1. through the darkness and ignorance thereof or 2. through the delusion and error or through the doubtfulness and hesitancy thereof Agreeably there is 1 the ignorant or blind Conscience as some phrase it though improperly enough 2 and the erroneous Conscience 3 and the hesitating or doubtful Conscience Eph. 4.18 Jam. 1.13 cum 16. Mat. 14.30 31. But in that these doubts may be and often are of various and different degrees therefore the doubtful Conscience may be and is variously distinguished There is 1 the opining 2 the scrupulous and 3 the doubtful Conscience strictly so called which are in brief thus differenced The doubtful Conscience entertains not either part of the matter in question before it so as either to affirm or deny it but hesitates and hangs as it were between both The scrupulous and opining Conscience do both close with one or other part either affirming on the one hand or denying on the other The opining doth this but feebly the scrupulous doth it vexatiously The scrupulous Conscience is by this eminently differenced from the opining that its close with one part or other is still conjoyn'd with some anxious suspicion of and sollicitation to the other part As Conscience 2 applys and draws down matters of law to the matter of fact before it for judgment either 1 aright or 2 amiss well or ill so the Conscience as to this is either 1 aright and good or 2 amiss and bad This application is not perfected but in and by several acts some whereof respect our good others our evil actions According to these different acts of which Q. 7. Conscience is by some distributed and so there is the accusing the excusing Conscience c. But this I purposly omit And in that Conscience is denominated either good or evil as to this respect according to its discharge of these acts and offices I shall therefore distribute it rather with relation had 1 to the manner 2. and to the measure of its discharge of these acts 1. If we consider the manner Conscience proceeds in these acts and offices either 1 entirely and uprightly or 2 hypocritically Either 1 faithfully or 2 unfaithfully Either 1 inoffensively or 2. offensively And thus there is 1 the entire Heart or Conscience Psal 78.72 And 2 the hypocritical Jer. 42.20 1 The faithful Conscience 2 Chron. 19.9 2 And the unfaithful Psal 5.9 1 The inoffensive Conscience Act. 24.16 2 And the offensive 1 Cor. 8.7 10. Hereof the first in each pair is an evil Conscience the second in each pair is a good Conscience 2. As concerns the measure of this application these acts are either 1 by and according to the just standard and so far the Conscience whose acts these are is good Or 2. below the just standard and measure in the defect Or 3. above and beyond it in the excess And so far the Conscience that thus applys is bad With respect to the former extream in the defect there is a double vice of Conscience There is 1 the sluggishness and oscitancy thereof which respects principally the imployment of Conscience 2. The senselesness and obduracy thereof which respects principally the impressions on Conscience Opposite to the former is the sedulity of Conscience in its transactions and operations Opposite to the latter is the softness and tenderness of Conscience with respect to its object So that here are 1 the sluggish Conscience Luk. 24.25 And 2 the senseless Conscience Eph. 4.18 19. on the one hand which are evil And the 1 stirring Conscience Exod. 35.21 And 2 the soft or tender Conscience 2 Chron. 34.27 on the other hand which are good I shall only add that as with respect to the former vices which are of different degrees the evil Conscience may be distinguished into that which 1 is sleepy Rom. 11.8 2. and that which is stupified Isa 6.10 3. and that which is seared 1 Tim. 4.2 So with respect to the latter virtues the good Conscience may be also differently distinguished according to those different degrees And so there is 1 the awakened Conscience Cant. 5.2 2 the attentive Conscience Deut. 32.46 3 The attrite or eminently tender Conscience Psal 51.17 With respect to the latter extream in the excess there is a twofold evil of Conscience 1. There is the dread and terrors of Conscience flying and declining Gods presence Gen. 3.10 2 There is the despair and horrors of Conscience accompanied with a fearful looking for of punishment and judgment Mat. 27.3 4 5. Heb. 10.27 So that there is 1 the distracting and troubled Conscience Prov. 15.13 2 The despairing and tormenting Conscience Gen. 4.13 14. Opposite hereunto there is a twofold good of Conscience There is 1 the acquiescence and rest of Conscience Mat. 11.29 2 The assurance and rejoycing of Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 Agreeably whereunto there is 1 the appeased and quiet Conscience Psal 116.7 2 The assured and comforted Conscience Heb. 10.22 Prov. 15.15 These things will require and receive aâ— fuller enquiry into and explication of them in the ensuing tract This Corollary shall conclude the present question Since the good and the evil Conscience are so manifold the greater is your work and should be your watchfulness for the obtaining and ordering of a good Conscience and for the preventing and purging out of an evil Conscience CHAP. II. Of the good and evil Conscience according to their stated habitude Q. 1. Whether we are to look upon our Consciences as such that are by nature evil THat we may prevent mistakes some distinctions must be premised of this term by nature It may be and sometimes is understood for 1. That which is by and according to the constitution of Mans nature as when we say Man doth by nature consist of a true body and a reasonable soul Thus whatsoever is a principle or part of Mans nature is said to be natural to him 2. For that which is by and
〈◊〉 lightned or still in darkness are they sinceâ—â— and upright or but hollow and hypocriticâ—â— soft and tender or but hardened and obduraâ—â— These things will be put upon a distinct tâ—â—â— hereafter Secondly § 3 By the acts of your Conscienâ—â— acts speak the powers and habits wheâ— they are good acts speak them good 〈◊〉 acts speak them evil you shall know them their fruits a good tree cannot bring foâ— evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Mat. 7.16 17 18. Thus the acts of Conscience naturally good bespeak a good natural Conscience the acts of Conscience which are morally good bespeak a good moral Conscience and the acts of Conscience which are Evangelically good bespeak a good Evangelical Conscience Of this is the enquiry Q. May we conclude our Consciences are good because their acts are good I answer 1. § 4 Though you may not conclude it from a few occasional acts for even a bad Conscience may call and keep you to that which is good for a fit as long as the force of such an occasion or inducement lasts witness Saul Simon Magus and those Psal 78.34 38. 1 Sam. 24.16 c. 26.21 c. Act. 3.13 Yet when such acts become fixed and ordinary when though there may be some diversions as were in Job and Paul yet the main stream and current of its acts are carried in an Evangelical channel from sin to righteousness you may now conclude the goodness of your Conscience Job 27.3 4. cum 5. Rom. 7.25 cum praeced 2. Though the good acts of Conscience materially considered will not â—rgue the goodness of Conscience for there have been acts for their matter very good where the heart and mind have been very â—ad Joh. 8.9 Rom. 2.15 Psal 78.34 35 â—6 yet its good acts formally considered as â—e take in with the matter of these acts the â—anner also wherein and motives whereupon they are put forth do argue a good Conscience for such grapes cannot grow upon thistles nor can a salt fountain yield such sweet water We may argue from the effect to the cause from holy and good operations to a good and holy Origine as Paul doth in this case Heb. 13.18 Act. 24.16 What are the acts of your Conscience then what ordinarily doth it thence you may conclude its habitude and how 't is ordinarily disposed There are the elicit and imperate acts of Conscience how are these discharged is it from Evangelical motives and in an Evangelical manner Conscience is 1. to dictate truth and doth it dictate Gospel-truths and duties Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ To deny your selves and take up your cross To love your enemies and bless them that hate you To endure grief suffering wrongfully and overcome evâ—â— with good c. Act. 20.21 Mar. 8.34 Mat. 5.44 1 Pet. 2.19 Rom. 12.21 Are the Consciences not only enlightned in but engaged bâ— these commands But more particularly doth the Conscience dictate these Gospel-truths to be done upon Gospel-terms To be done 1 to and for Christ as your head and ruler And can your Conscience say in sincerity The Lord is oâ— Judg the Lord is our King the Lord is our Law-giver And that you esteem all but loss foâ— the excellency of the knowledg of Jesus Chriâ—â— your Lord Isa 33.22 Phil. 3.8 2. To be done in and through Christ as your Intercessour and Redeemer To do all in the name of our Lord Jesus with the rejecting of your own righteousness and resting upon the grace of God in him alone for your reward and acceptance Col. 3.17 Phil. 3.9 Dan. 9.18 1 Pet. 2.5 And doth not thy Conscience only dictate this in the Theory but descends to the Praxis And doth it not only inform this in the notion but doth it infer and induce it in the ordinary course of thy Conversation Thou hast then a good Conscience 2. Conscience is to deliver its testimony How doth your Conscience testifie Doth it testifie to and for the Gospel to the authority thereof above all laws over you to the amiableness thereof above all doctrines to you to the sin-subduing and soul-saving efficacy thereof upon you and to the singular and surpassing excellency thereof unto you Act. 4.19 20. Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 1.5 6. Psal 119.72 Doth Conscience testifie with and according to the Gospel Are you wont to pray for the especial teachings of the spirit in prevention of a false testimony To put your selves as in his sight and presence that it may produce a good and true testimony And do you prize and prefer the Spirits testimony before that of your spirits and are prevailingly steered by his witness with your Conscience and can provoke and call in with Peter his all-seeing knowledg Lord thou knowest all things and thou knowest that I love thee Job 34.32 Psal 139.23 24. 2 Cor. 2.17 Rom. 8.16 Joh. 21.17 This is a good Conscience I forbear to instance further Thirdly § 5 By the absoluteness and universality of the good Conscience that Conscience is not good at all that is not good in all Paul trusts he had a good Conscience but whence appeared it In all things he was willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 Q. May we argue the goodness of our Conscience by and from their Vniversality and Absoluteness I answer you may and should as Paul doth § 6 but must attentively consider that the Universality by which you prove it is not to be an Universality in the degrees of goodness which is reserved for glory but an Universality as to the parts of goodness which is inseparable from grace 1 King 9.4 Luk. 1.6 1 Chron. 29.19 So then the Conscience that is unfeignedly good is universally good as it respects all the parts though it cannot here reach all the perfection and degrees of goodness I. § 7 'T is good as to all concernments good at first Table and good at second-Table-duties Willing in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 'T is not good at matters of holiness and bad at matters of honesty or good at matters of honesty and bad at matters of holiness but good both as to holiness and as to honesty whereof the good Conscience ever makes a good conjunction 1 Tim. 2.2 Luk. 8.15 Let the formal hypocrite be for inoffensiveness to God while he indulgeth himself in his offensiveness to man let the civil Justiciary be for inoffensiveness to man while be indulgeth his inobedience and offensiveness to God But the great exercise and endeavour of the good Conscience is to preserve it self void of offence both towards God the object of all those religious dues required in the first table and towards men the object of all that righteousness required in the second Table Act. 24.16 It provides for honest things not only in the sight of the Lord but in the sight of men 2 Cor. 8.21 Your Consciences are evil who are careless of either Table She that was for dividing the Child
was not indeed the Mother 1 King 3.26 27. Though you are devout towards God if you are dishonest towards men or dissolute in your selves you have an evil Conscience And though you are upright in your transactions and dealings with men if you are regardless of the truths and duties of godliness or sobriety you have still but an evil Conscience See these instances Mat. 23.14 ch 15.4 5. Isa 58.2 9. Prov. 7.13 16. Luk. 18.11 12. Mat. 19.20 21 22. The good Conscience is not disjunctive but copulative in its duties and will give Christ his due and Caesar his You then that impartially consult both Tables in your practice that knit religion towards God with righteousness towards Men that follow after both things holy and things honest things just and things pure and are taught to live both soberly righteously and godly in this present world your conversations are in godly sincerity and you have a good Conscience May you rejoyce in its testimony Psal 15.2 Isa 33.15 Phil. 4.8 Tit. 2.12 2 Cor. 1.12 II. § 8 'T is good as to all the Commandments The good Conscience is set to do all Gods Commandments God chargeth all his Commandments upon the Conscience Keep and seek for all the Commandments of the Lord your God 1 Chron. 28.8 Deut. 11.8 22. ch 26.18 And the good Conscience chargeth them all upon the godly to keep all the command he knoweth and to seek all the command he knoweth not that he may keep them We are all here present before God saith Cornelius to hear all things that are commanded of God Act. 10.33 The good Conscience countâ— all Gods Commandments to be good Aâ—â— thy Commandments are sure all thy Commandments are faithful It saith not only that they are all truth but all thy Commandments are righteousness Psal 111.7 c. 119.86 151 172. The good Conscience would know all Gods Commandments because good and that he may keep them Oh that my way were directed saith he to keep thy statutes 〈◊〉 let me not wander from thy Commandments O hide not thy Commandments from me Teaâ—â— me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shaâ—â— keep it unto the end Give me understanding anâ— I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Psal 119.5 10 19 33 34 'T is true corrupt flesh may and will ever and anon be retracting and impleading it buâ— the good Conscience fights it out and is finally victorious He hath sworn and he wiâ—â— perform it that he will keep Gods righteouâ— judgments And I will walk at liberty saith this Soul for I seek thy precepts ver 106 45. The good Conscience would keep all Gods Commandments which he knoweth He may be weak in many things but he is willing in all things to live honestly He allows himself in no known aversation from any one of Gods Testimonies His heart is inclined to perform Gods statutes always If the habitual temper be enquired into whatever his declinings be under the heat of tentation with his mind he serves the law of God Heb. 13.18 Rom. 7.15 25. Psal 119.112 How is it with your Consciences then Adhere they closely to the commands and traditions of men but mean while are careless of the Commands and Truths of God Or are they herein observedly strict in Mint Annise and Cummin the lesser matters of the Law while mean time they omit Mercy Judgment and Faith the greater matters of the Law Are they partial and upon reserves in the matters of Piety and of his Precepts And do they ordinarily allow the forbearance of or formality in any self-displeasing secret or inobserved duties You have then an evil Conscience Mar. 7.6 10. Mat. 23.23 Mal. 2.9 1 Joh. 2.4 But do they esteem all Gods Precepts concerning all things to be right Do you walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God with Zachary and Elizabeth Have you a respect to all Gods Commandments Then shall you not be ashamed it is well with Conscience and shall be well you in the conclusion Psal 119.6 128. Luk. 1.6 Jer. 7.23 The integrity of Davids heart hath the divine impression and allowance or approbation while it was set to do according to all that God had commanded him 1 King 9.4 2 Chron. 7.17 3 'T is good as concerns all Corruptions § 9 which it doth both avoid and abhor He would abstain from and doth hate every false way Psal 119.2 3 128. It refrains the feet from every evil way that we may keep to the Word of God without us and keep up the work of God within us Psal 119.101 104. This Soul may actually and doth often sin but he allows not what he doth and may say with Paul What I hate that do I Rom. 7.15 A good Conscience then will not allow of any evil of corruption not any manner or any measure any kind or to any degree It would have iniquity all iniquity and all of iniquity taken away the pollution and power as well as punishment and will rather choose the greatest suffering than the least sin Hos 14.2 Psal 139.24 Heb. 11.25 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God This is the reasoning of the good Conscience I will take heed to my ways that I sin not I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress These are the resolutions of the good Conscience Gen. 39.9 Psal 39.1 c. 17.3 How is it with Conscience Happily it hath not with Joab turned after Absalom but hath it turned after Adonijah Vile and refuse sins it will destroy utterly But the fatlings and the best of the sheep that will best serve your carnal pleasures and profits especially Agag the predominant and pleasing sin must they be spared Baals Temple and Priests must fall but must Jeroboams Calves stand Sins against the interest of worldly self be crucified but must sins that feed thy interest be cherished Ah wicked and wretched Conscience 1 King 1.7 1 Sam. 15.9 2 King 10.29 Jam. 4.4 Your Consciences happily strain at Gnats such and such smaller sins But can they swallow Camels greater sins Your Consciences abhor Idols but do you commit Sacriledg You cannot violate a rash Oath with Herod but can you swear rashly and slay the innocent servants of the Lord rather than it shall be said you have not accomplished it Ah deplorable and desperate Consciences Mat. 23.24 Rom. 2.22 Mar. 6.26 27. Again it may be your Consciences cannot but accuse for and do abhor flagitious and open sins You are not extortioners unjust adulterers c. But can they allow those of a fresher dye and less obvious to sight such as are more small or more secret Then surely 't is an evil Conscience Luk. 18.11 Ephes 5.12 Sirs you whose Consciences are both against small and great sins open and in secret against darling sins as well as displeasing sins that would build up as well as such as will break down your fleshes interest You you are the men and women
'T is for praise to the advancement and glorifying of God which it principally reckons of and finally refers unto The good Conscience is for celebrating God and his Glory in which it ultimately terminates the discharge of its Offices and the debts and obligations it inferreth on us this is Gods end in renewing the Conscience and the great end of Conscience renewed that he might be glorified Isa 43.7 21. c. 60.21 1 Tim. 1.17 This it chargeth most upon it self Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O my soul c. Awake up my Glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early This also comforteth it self most in and he is not ashamed but can cheerfully acquiesce whatsoever he doth or endureth for Conscience sake toward God while Christ is magnified in his body and while on his part God is glorified Psal 103.1 2. c. 57.8 Phil. 1.20 1 Pet. 2.19.4.14 This is the great matter which he purposeth with himself and to which he provoketh other Souls I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart and I will glorifie thy Name for evermore I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth My soul shall make her boast in God O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together Yea let all such as love thy Salvation say continually the Lord be magnified Psal 86.12 c. 34.1 2 3. 70.4 Let Conscience answer then Do not you like to retain God in your knowledg you know God but are you careless of glorifying him as God And say what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Or do you scoff at your Brethren which you may have cast out with those in Isaiah saying Let the Lord be glorified O miserable Consciences Rom. 1.21 28. Job 21.14 Isa 66.5 cum ch 5.19 Or while you pretend to Gods glory do you prefer your own Are your acts of piety your almes or acts of charity done principally that you may have glory of men unto whom ye would outwardly appear righteous Verily you have your reward and still remain with rotten and unsound Consciences Mat. 6.2 1 Thes 2.6 Mat. 23.27 28. But you that vail your own glory to Gods the bias and bent of whose good works which men behold is to this mark that they may glorifie not so much you as God in and for you in the day of Visitation you that can venture and forgo all for Gods glory when he calls for it and count of nothing so high as his honour you whose fruits of righteousness are with this final respect that your Father may be glorified and you may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light You that have glorified him and are resolved you will glorifie him again Go eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy work He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousness is in him Joh. 8.50 1 Pet. 2.12 Mat. 5.16 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Phil. 1.11 1 Pet. 2.9 Eccles 9.7 Joh. 7.18 Fifthly § 21 By the answer of a good Conscience which if Peter be consulted is towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 Quest Whether we may argue the goodness of our Conscience from their answer towards God I answer you may But then 't is not so much from your present earnestness therein as from the powerful efficacy and proportionate extent thereof that you must take your evidence for you shall find bad Consciences furnished with quick and ready answers as if they would not abridge God of the least he calls for Deut. 5.27 28 29. Jer. 42.5 6. You are concerned to discuss the deliberateness of the answer and its due extent The good Conscience answers to Gods Call § 22 Commands c. 1 To Gods Call No sooner is the Conscience effectually convinced or hath Christ effectually called but you have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle phrases it of the good Conscience Conscience answers with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth and with David Lo I come I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart 1 Sam. 3.10 Psal 40.7 8. Yea Conscience asks with Saul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth Vnite my heart to fear thy name Conscience sets him upon the Tower with Habakkuk and will watch to see what God will say unto him and what he shall answer when he is convinced or argued with Act. 9.6 Psal 86.11 Hab. 2.1 How is it then hath God called but ye would not answer Hath he spoken but ye would not hear Have you set at nought his counsel and despised his reproof Have you chosen your own ways and doth your Soul delight it self in your abominations You have then sinful and stupid Consciences Prov. 1.24 25. Isa 65.12 c. 66.3 4. But you whose Ears are bored to hear and your Hearts are brought to embrace the Calls of Grace You that with Simon and Andrew his Brother with James the Son of Zebedee and John his Brother at the Call of Christ can quit all when he once said Come ye after me You that attend the saving motions of his Spirit and addict your selves to this mystery of Godliness whose Hearts are determined upon God in Christ and to whom no Calls are so acceptable as are the Calls from sin and to his service you may comfortably reflect and repose your selves in the witness of a good Conscience Mar. 1.16 21. 1 Cor. 16.15 Job 22.21 22. ch 27.6 2 To Gods Commands § 32 The good Conscience corresponds to Gods Commandments not only as it conserves and apprehends Law Here is a Copy and Transcript within of the Command and Truths without The Law of God is in his Heart the Spirit of the living God hath written it in these fleshly Tables Psal 37.31 Jer. 31.33 2 Cor. 3.3 But as it comes and applies Law hath God said Seek ye my face Conscience speaks back My Heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Hath God commanded us to keep his Precepts diligently Conscience corresponds and crys out O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes Doth God require that we do his will I delight to do thy wiâ—â— saith Conscience Psal 27.8 c. 119.4 5. c. 40.7 8. Try then what agreement find you between his Commands and your Consciences Are you afraid of the restraint of God's Laws and would break these bands from you and can you not bear these cords Do you hate him that rebuketh in the Gate and abhor the Ministry that speaks uprightly and searcheth the inward parts of the belly as Ahab did Micajah for saith he He
there are good things found in thee in that thou hast prepared thine heart to seek God 2 Chron. 19.2 3. 2 My conversation will be good Conscience hath the ducture of it the dominion over it as it goeth well or ill in Conscience within so it will be in thy Conversation without See Q. 4. Make the Tree good and his Fruit is good * Non erit fructus bonus nisi arboris bonae muta Cor mutabitur opus Aug. de verb. Dom. Ser. 12. Make the Tree corrupt and his Fruit is corrupt Mat. 12.33 34. Rehoboam's course of life was bad in that his Conscience was bad Because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Ezra's on the contrary was good in that his Conscience was good Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord 2 Chron. 12.14 Ezra 7.10 See 1 Pet. 3.16 3 My Capacities will be good These are regulated by the Conscience and are renewed with the Conscience 1. Your receptive Capacities whereby you receive from God will be enlarged and enabled to take in more from him both of his truth and goodness Natural Conscience cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God but the Renewed can receive them and that with all readiness and in much riches Grace for Grace from Christ the Word joy and gladness from and with the Word of Christ the Spirit of Adoption sweet and full assurance c. 1 Cor. 2.12 14. Act. 17.11 Col. 2.2 Joh. 1.16 1 Thes 1.6 Rom. 8.15 Heb. 10.22 2. Your active Capacities whereby you return to God and work out your everlasting good Have you a good Conscience you will be willing in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 The evil Conscience contracts and straitens the good Conscience dilates and wâ—â—ens the Capacity of Man here is true largâ—ess of Heart the fetters of Sin now fall off the Mind will be enlarged to know and consider the Will to elect and embrace the Lord and his Laws the Memory to record and recall and the very Members to run the way of his Testimonies 1 King 4.29 Prov. 2.10 11 12. Psal 119.32 4 Then and not else are others Commendations good As the fining-pot for silver and the furnace for gold so is a man to his praise Prov. 27.21 The sense is variously given this seems to me most full and consonant if ch 17.3 be compared where the same comparison is used So is a man to the trial of his Praise Others Commendations are to be case into the fining-pot of our own Consciences If these convince that we are dross what are we the better though they cry us up for Gold Let thy Conscience be good or their Commendatio will not do good but hurt * Non ideo bona est Conscientia quia vos illam laudatis Quid enim laudatis quod non videtis Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 49. 'T is not whom Man commendeth but whom God commends and Conscience commends in and under God that is approved 2 Cor. 10.18 1 Joh. 3.20 5 My Comforts will be great Who knoweth the great Comforts of a good Conscience Of which hereafter 'T is acknowledged that Comfort doth immediately grow rather out of the Testimony of a good Conscience than out of its truth of goodness But this is the root and fountain-head of it that the Conscience is truly good and this streams shame and consternation to accusers support and comfort to such as have this good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Pet. 3.16 Let the fountains of the deep be broken up this will be an Ark of safety from the Deluge and a continual feast in the days of affliction and distress 1 Pet. 3.21 Prov. 15.15 6 My Crown will be glorious Assure the Conscience good here and I dare assure you the Crown of Glory hereafter The good Conscience hath its record on high and is assured of its reward on high Its Witness is in Heaven and it ensureth a welfare in Heaven also There is a great recompense of reward if you keep your Conscience and cast not away your confidence No sooner shall you have discharged your Consciences but God will deliver you the Crown I have fought a good fight saith Paul I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing Job 16.19 Heb. 10.35 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 2ly Argue it with Conscience Direct 2 Self-reasoning conduceth much to self-reformation arguing with Conscience to the amendment of Conscience Psal 42.5 11. 43.5 1. Argue from its preferring honour by this it is that I am difference from and dignified beyond the bruits and shall my glory descend in shame and my best honour in a worse than brutish obstinacy shall their brutish goodness out-brave mine who have the principles of a man and bear the profession of a Christian shall they know and I not consider shall their knowledg be according to its kind good and my Conscience continue bad Let mens credit be never so great if their Conscience be not therewith good they are accounted no better than beasts in the sight of God Isa 1.3 Jer. 8.7 Psal 49.20 2. From the place it holds 1. In Man Conscience is not placed in the lower sensitive and earthly but in the higher intellectual and heavenly part of Man shall my best be evil my light darkness my heaven-born power but as an earthen pitcher If I be not good in this where should where shall I be good 2. Over Man God hath given it dominion over the whole man and 't is to have the ducture in all matters and shall not my Conscience be good whose command is so great shall that abide yet further evil whose authority is of so vast extent 3. Under God He hath made it a god to thee as Moses sometimes was to Pharaoh Exod. 7.1 It is God's Vicegerent in thee who is and doth good and shall not this be good that holds next under God 3. From the perfections it had How choice were they as Conscience was created and came off from the workmanship of God! Eccles 7.29 Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 And doth not every Creature even to the crawling worm contend toward the recovery of its lost perfection and proper good Shall man then or shall I only who am endowed with an intelligent and immortal Spirit sit down at rest in the evil lost by me and not reach after the good that lieth before me and is tendered to me 4. From the power it hath It can as one saith * Annesly Lect. Ep. 5. do any thing but make evil good Let Conscience be bad and it maketh not only an indifferent but a good action bad as before Let Conscience be good and it maketh an indifferent Action good and though it doth not alter the nature yet it abateth the malignity of an Action that is in
to have that he pluck it away also and that he punish this violence and their voluntary resistance with a final remorslesness Psal 51.10 1 Tim. 1.19 Jer. 9.3 Rom. 1.28 9. Inordinate cares shame and fears which overcharge Conscience and are offended with the Cross You must expect contempt and to endure the Cross if you will exercise and enjoy a good Conscience shame and fear decline those and you must therefore decline these divert them rather upon their proper Objects Be ashamed and afraid of sin as the greatest evil and of losing the sight and salvation of God who is the greatest good as you are advised by the Apostle for having a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.14 15 16. c. 4.12 13 16. 'T is no matter of shame or fear to suffer for Conscience 't is a fearful thing indeed to suffer in or from Conscience But â—â—o this is thank-worthy an expression beyond any other in all the Bible if a man for Conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully 1 Pet. 2.19 Secondly There are some things to be done If you would ensure the custody of a good Conscience 1. Employ your strictest care Sin and Satan lay their main Batteries against this the good Conscience is the grand Citadel of a gracious Christian get this and they get all keep this and ye keep all You are proportionably concerned to preserve the outer guards in your Conversations but you are principally concerned to preserve the inner and main guard of your Conscience Keep this and it will keep thee But remember as it was not gotten idly so neither is it kept but with industry Keep thy heart with diligence nay with all diligence and above all keeping and good reason for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 2.10 11. c. 4.20 21 23. 2. Extend this care to all the sorts and kinds of a good Conscience To the pure peaceable sincere soft and tender Conscience c. and touching which we shall instruct hereafter yea and to the whole circuit and compass of Conscience Take a prospect of every part in every proposition that it may be good both as a Rule and as a Witness and as a Judg Of which also you may expect in the ensuing parts of this Discourse 3. Hear Conscience Conscience hath a voice within you as well as Christ in his Word without you a voice * of correction in case of evil Why art thou cast down O my soul c Psal 43.5 A voice of counsel and direction for continuance and growth in good as David's had My reins also instruct me in the night-season Psal 16.7 Hear counsel then and receive instruction that thou mayst be wise in the latter end Conscience never hardens till it is not heard the more attention is given by you the more authority is gained to it and the better advise it giveth to you Attend the directions and discourse of Conscience then as Joseph and Nehemiah did who thereby kept an unspotted Conscience amidst all aspersions and calumnies Prov. 19.20 Gen. 39.9 Neh. 6.11 4. Estate it often by its Copy or Original rather the Holy Scriptures These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prime rule and standard by which you must pass and square Conscience Christians must write them a Copy of this Law in the Book of Conscience if they would be kept incorrupt and from crooked ways and examine this exscript often by that as the Kings of Israel must Conscience is to be instead of a mouth to Scriptures as Aaron was to Moses but the Scripture is to be instead of a God to Conscience as Moses was to Aaron Deut. 17.17 18 19. Exod. 4.16 Conscience is to every man as his Book as Bernard * Vnicuique suus libeâ— est conscientiu Conferamus itaque libros nostroscum librovitae ne fortè in illa ultima discussione abjiciantur si non fuerint emendati De Cons l. 1. c. 9. well observeth but such as must be examined by the Bible compared with and corrected by it Order my steps in thy Word saith David Thy Testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors Psal 119.133 24. Order Conscience by this through all its offices and proceeds Is Conscience a rule The Word must be the Regula regulans Conscience is but Regula regulata Conscience must take the rule from Christ in his Word and then give it to the Christian for the weighing of his Estate and Actions The Word is the lamp for the feet and light for the paths Psal 119.105 Is Conscience a witness If you look that it witness the Truth and in truth have it to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 Is Conscience a Judg If you would have it judg righteous judgment away with it to the Word of Righteousness which shall judg you in the last day Joh. 12.48 5. Engage the choice and constant resolutions of your wills It is well with Conscience while the Will is constant and cleaves unto God with full purpose let the Will be preserved steady and its welfare will be preserved in safety The weal of Conscience much-what follows the Will 's choice and when this is found divided that is faulty and diseased Act. 11.23 Hos 10.2 'T is said 1 Tim. 1.19 they put away a good Conscience and concerning Faith made ship-wrack Their loss did not arise as from its next cause from other's violence but their own voluntariness Satan seducers sufferings could never have pulled it away if they themselves had not put it away They made ship-wrack rather than endured ship-wrack Well then if you would still have a good Conscience be willing in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 6. Eye God's all-seeing knowledg Let thy Conscience keep its eye upon God who keepeth his eye upon thy Conscience Set the Lord alway before thy face with David and set thy self always before the face of the Lord with Paul As of God as in the sight of God so steer thy whole course Keep thy Conscience on God and God will keep thy Conscience who hath said Walk before me and be thou perfect Psal 16.8 2 Cor. 2.17 Gen. 17.1 Conscience is a knowledg together with the Lord look to it then in every creek and turn of thy life Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soul doth not he know it Prov. 24.12 Psal 44.21 The prospect David took of Gods omniscient knowledg preserved a tender gracious and holy Conscience Psal 139. I have kept his precepts and thy testimonies saith he elsewhere for all my ways are before thee Eye him that is invisible with Moses whose eye is upon all thy goings Tell Conscience as Laban told Jacob No man is with us But see God is witness betwixt me and thee And forget not his Mizpah that is a Beacon or Watch-tower and say to it with him The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another Psal 119.168 Heb. 11.27 Gen. 31.49 50.
7. Exercise your selves to have always a good Conscience So Paul Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.16 Conscience will not be ensured or preserved without consideration exercise and pains 1. Co-united endeavours there must be as respects the subject Herein do I exercise my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is his study his labour his work his business which took up his outward specially his inward man Of so large an import is that word Here is matter enough to take up the whole Man Mind Memory Will Affections Members which had need be all imployed either for informing of or conforming to Conscience 2 Continued endeavours they must be as respects the circumstances Herein do I exercise my self always Let the times frown or favour the good Conscience let Conscience smite or smile whether you are under the arrests of Judgment or the happy liberties of mercy whether men speak well or ill whether the Candle of the Lord shine upon you on the one hand or the calumnies of men like so many arrows stick fast in you on the other whatever business be before you this business must not be behind or be neglected by you and herein use an holy constancy as you would maintain an holy Conscience and be able to say with Paul I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day 1 Pet. 3.15 Job 27.6 3 Comprehensive endeavours they must be both as respects the state of Conscience that it be void of offence and the objects it regardeth likewise both toward God and toward man Keep the Conscience inoffensive if you would keep it entire and Evangelically good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sometimes passively taken Phil. 1.10 Sometimes actively 1 Cor. 10.32 that Conscience neither give nor take offence either offend or be offended Eye Conscience in both kinds and herein exercise your selves constantly nor only as respects God nor only as respects man but as respects both God and Man first as respects God then as respects Man Let Religion toward God and Righteteousness toward Man be your continued exercise and you will neither impair the tranquillity nor injure the tenderness of your Conscience Job 2.3 Psal 15. Isa 33.15 16. Conscience hath both Tables of the Law committed originally to it The Conscience again committeth them as Josiah did to the other Powers as its inferior Officers when these bring Conscience word as Shaphan brought the King back word again saying All that was committed to thy servants they do it Then we have both a sincere and inoffending and also a secure and inoffended Conscience 2 Chr. 34.15 16. 8. Exercise Conscience oftner if you would have it always good The weal of Conscience lyes much-what within the walls of conscience If you vvould keep conscience vvell you must keep conscience at vvork sloth vvill beget sickness beget sin and incense justice to take away your talent Mat. 25.28 2. 1 Be frequent in examining Conscience ask how the case stands the frequent'st trier is usually the forward'st thriver in the School of Christ and of Conscience as well as of humane Literature The more you prove and examine Conscience the more you provoke and engage it for after-times and improve the experiences antecedent Psal 77.6 c. 2 Be forward in exciting Conscience Is it incident to drowsiness distempers deadness call upon it the oftener rouse it up by awakening Considerations thy Conscience is keeper of the Vineyards the other faculties and thine own Vineyard hast thou not kept Put it in remembrance of its duty and thy danger Provoke it by arguments of mercy and alarums of justice that if thou must say with the Spouse I sleep yet thou may'st say with her my heart waketh Psal 108.2 Cant. 1.6 c. 5.2 3 Be faithful in exonerating Conscience Whatever Conscience directed by the Word of God dictateth fail not to do it whatever it forbids thee forbear it else thou teachest Conscience to forbear thee limiting Conscience and not listning to Conscience are a ready way to the losing of Conscience 'T is miserable when men are churlish with Conscience and it must be said of you as Nabal's servants said of him He is such a son of Belial that Conscience cannot speak to him 1 Sam. 25.17 Listen to Conscience then and be led by it so shalt thou live in all good Conscience As God said to Abraham so say I to thee In all that Sarah in all that Conscience shall say unto thee hearken unto her voice If you would hold a good Conscience obey a good Conscience if it may not be heard it will away If it may command thee it will continue with thee Act. 23.1 Gen. 21.12 2 Tim. 1.3 1 Tim. 3.9 9. Exercise the good that is in and with your Conscience Actuate and imploy your implanted habits of Grace and these will grow into greater increases Keep up the lively exercise of Faith Love and Repentance and you keep up the exercise and enjoyment of a good Conscience These say to Conscience as David sometime did to Abiatbar Abide with us fear not he that seeketh thy life seeketh our life With us thou shalt be in safety Prov. 4.18 1 Sam. 22.23 Rinse Conscience upon every fall thou catchest from the filth which thou contractest in the waters of repentance The more tears of Contrition the more tenderness of Conscience and transcendent comfort Psal 51. Job 11.14 15. Raise and quicken Faith this will subdue enemies without sanctifie Conscience within sprinkle the blood of Jesus on it and suck continued virtue from his blessed promises 1 Joh. 5.4 5. Act. 26. Heb. 10.22 23. Repeat and continue the dear and delicious acts of Love which will facilitate the Commandments to you free Conscience in you and fits you to whatever capacity Christ shall call you 1 Joh. 5.3 1 Cor. 13.4 8. CHAP. III. Of the Pure and Defiled Conscience Q. 1. Whether the Conscience in man be naturally pure or defiled Touching this I must return you to what hath been already spoken Chap. 2. Quest 2. and 3. Q. 2. Whether a pure Conscience be attainable by man in this life THere is a double purity of the Conscience 1. Exact and legal as fully answers to what the Law asks 2. Evangelical and more large as fitly agrees with what the Gospel allows That excludes all degrees of pollution and includes all degrees of perfection this allows no degree of pollution and aspires after the highest degree of perfection 1. That legal and exact purity of the Conscience neither can nor ever was attained since the Fall by any meer man in this life 1. Who was ever priviledged in this life from the pollution of Conscience Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Who can understand his errors Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean as man is not one There is not a just man upon the earth
that doth good and sinneth not Prov. 20.9 Psal 19.12 Job 14.4 Eccles 7.20 2. Who was ever possessed in this life with the perfection of Conscience Conscience is never perfected till the Christian is perfected and the body of sin and this sinful body be put off fully 1 Cor. 13.10 c. Phil. 3.12 c. What is man that he should be clean His Conscience is miserably polluted and seared who durst pretend to perfection in the sight of God and wretchedly deceiveth himself and denieth the Scriptures of God Job 15.14 15 16. c. 25.4 5 6. c. 11.4 5. 1 Joh. 1.1 8 10. 2ly This Evangelical purity of the Conscience is attainable in this life and should be attained 't is possible we may and God's pleasure that that we do and must endeavour for and ensure it Lo 1. Man is admonished and called upon for it Purifie your hearts ye double minded Wash your hearts from your wickedness Have them sprinkled from an evil Conscience Purge your selves cleanse your selves from all filthiness of the spirit Hold the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience which implicitely requireth that you have a pure Conscience wherein to hold it In short the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience Jam. 4.8 Jer. 4.14 Heb. 10.22 2 Tim. 2.21 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Tim. 3.9 c. 1.5 2. Means are afforded and communicated for it Without us the Word and Ordinances within us Faith Hope c. Above us the Blood and Spirit of Christ whereby the Conscience may be purged from dead works Of which some things have been premised and more will be subjoyned hereafter Q. 5. If this mercy were not to be attained wherefore are these means they were as to this in vain and to no purpose appointed 3. Many have attained it Paul thanks God whom he served from his forefathers with a pure Conscience The Deacons held the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience Wherefore should I multiply instances in whomsoever there was or is a living faith and lively hope it did and doth purifie the Heart and Conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 1 Tim. 3.9 Act. 15.9 1 Joh. 3.3 In short whosoever believeth is pure hath all things pure to himself and his Mind and Conscience purified in him Tit. 1.15 Q. 3. Whether a Man's Conscience may be habitually impure and defiled and he not apprehensive of it Though all the Sons of Men may know de facto and should know de jure Whether their Consciences are pure or polluted yet many a man's Conscience is habitually impure and polluted and he knoweth it not 1. Witness Scriptures There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet is not washed from their filthiness Prov. 30.12 Laodicea saith I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knoweth not that she is wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Instances would be endless Luk. 18.11 12. Isa 65.5 2. What else is the work of the Spirit of the Scriptures and of the servants of God by office but to convince of sin and shut up the Conscience of sinners in the sense of their sinful condition to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light that they that see not may see the defiled and deplorable state in which they have been and yet are and be at length convicted as those Pharisees were by their own Conscience Joh. 16.8 9. Act. 26.18 Psâ—l 19.8 Joh. 9.39 c. 8.9 Shall I point you whence it ariseth 1. Partly from want of self discussion Conscience is seldom or never put to the question by them or they by Conscience They consider not in their hearts Heb. They say not to their hearts Hos 7.2 How could those loose and wicked wretches so insolently insist upon it We are wise and the law of the Lord is with us But that they held fast deceit and no man said in his heart what have I done Jer. 8.5 6. cum 9.2 Principally from a wretched self-indulgence Self-love flatters men into a fond opinion of themselves and pride inflames them into a foolish ostentation and both render them averse to the knowledg of the worst by themselves afraid that Conscience do its work with much strictness and arms them also against â—orreign arguments and convictions with deâ—ensive pleas and pretensions lâ—t him hear the words of the Curse Yet he blesseth himself in â—is own heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart c. Deut. 29.19 Q. 4. How may we know whether our Consciences are habitually pure or defiled Put Conscience to it press home upon your hearts as in the presence of the most high God these three Questions which I here present and tender you First What is thy Conscience purified in If Conscience be purified at all 't is purified in all in every orb every office every part and proper officine of the Conscience 't is frequently called the perfect heart 1 King 15.14 1 Chron. 28.9 c. 29.19 2 Chron. 25.2 Understand it of an integral perfection there is no part of Conscience but is purified 1. Conscience is pure as a law it conserveth pure and holy laws and because they are very pure therefore doth this soul love them Psal 19.8 c. 119.140 2. Conscience is pure as it applyeth this law as for the pure his work is right that which this Conscience eyes is purity both in it self and in what is subordinated to it by all the acts generally it puts forth Prov. 21.8 Heb. 10.22 'T is an heart after God's own heart and therefore with the pure will shew himself pure and preserves the mysteries of faith in a pure mind and Conscience 1 Sanâ— 13.14 Psal 18.26 1 Tim. 3.9 Call Conscience then before thee commune with thâ— own heart Hath the water of purifying passeâ— upon the whole Conscience Is every veâ—â— thereof like those in Solomon's house of pure Gold Do you love pureness of heart Would you approve your selves in all things by pureness as the servants of God And whatsoever things are pure do you think on them and that with best complacence and most contentation Then are your Consciences purified Psal 4.4 1 King 10.21 Prov. 22.11 2 Cor. 6.4 6. Phil. 4.8 Secondly What is my Conscience purified from The pure Conscience in Scripture stands opposed not only to that which is defiled Tit. 1.15 but to that which is double Purifie your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4.8 Let me ask then and thy heart answer 1. Is thy Conscience purified from its doubleness This is specially when Conscience will be making or maintaining a coalition and compounding of interests uniting and contempering of gain and godliness God and the World or as the Samaritans Fearing the Lord and serving their own Gods 1 Tim. 6.5 Jam. 4.4 2 King 17.33 Enquire then 1. into the object whereto it doth or should determine thee Is not thy heart divided between God and Mammon If so thou
with thee For the Commandment is a lamp and the Law is light and reproofs of instruction are the way of life Prov. 6.21 22 23. 3. Take forth what marks thou hast treasured up for trial That as a Scribe instructed to the Kingdom of God thou mayst bring forth out of thy treasure things both new and old Mat. 13.52 There are three sorts of Marks mentioned by Divines * See Manton on James 1. Exclusive the absence of which doth plainly speak that we are not as yet in a state of Grace and Salvation 2. Inclusive the presence of which doth not only prove the truth of our Grace or being in the state of Salvation but our growth in Grace and progress in Sanctification 3. Beside those there are a middle sort of Marks which they call positive The presence of which doth positively and plainly shew the being or integrity of our Graces the truth of our Sanctification and that we are in a state of Salvation Touching these I shall offer you some rules in the case before you 1. Do not decline Exclusive Marks which have their end and are of efficacy to undeceive and convince of infidelity and hypocrisie That a man deceive not his own heart there is use of the Exclusive Mark Jam. 1.26 He that seems to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vain as well as of that more evidential and positive ver 27. Prayer and other acts of Worship will not prove you in a state saving but if you cast off Worship and restrain Prayer before God it will prove you in a state of sin Hearing his truths will not prove the acceptation of your persons by God But if you turn away your ear from hearing the Law it will prove that your prayers are an abomination Isa 1.15 Job 15.4 Jam. 1.22 Prov. 28.9 2. Do not dwell upon Exclusive Marks much less shouldst thou draw them down to the ends and uses of such as are positive as if reading and hearing Sermons receiving Sacraments c. would speak thee to be in a saving state For as they are unable to do this so thou wilt hereby but deceive thy own self whereof you have already seen several instances 3. Draw forth and improve thy positive Marks which I suppose thee to have tried and treasured up according to the two former Directions Now is the time to bring them forth out of thy armory when thou art in hazard of thy life and thy heart lyeth open to all the assaults which either the policies or power of Sin and Satan can bring on against thee to captivate or ensnare thee The Apostle therefore directs them now to produce faith and fellowship with Christ when they are upon proving and examining themselves and to ascertain their estares And now it is that Job and David awaken their memories to recall and do apply such Marks to themselves when they are about clearing their case before God and in their own Conscience Job 23.10 11 12. Psal 26.1 2 3 4. Draw forth thy positive Marks for a full and final decision in what estate thou art or for positive ends That thou leave not thy estate at an hovering uncertainty in loose conjectures or languishing probabilities but bring it to a clear and certain issue in thy own Conscience and so assure thy heart before God 1 Joh. 3.19 And indeed why have you such positive Marks afforded on God's part but to this end or how can you answer so many obligations as are plainly required on your part that cannot be performed without the previous knowledg of your estate 1 Joh. 5.13 20. 2 Cor. 13.5 Prov. 22.21 The Primitive Christians therefore would not suffer themselves to sit down in opinionative guesses or hopeful conjectures only but pursued their Marks to a peremptory but modest knowledg of what condition they were in Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments Hereby know we that we are in him We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren c. 1 Joh. 2.3 5. c. 3.14 19 24. c. 5.19 Direct 2. Touching the Assumption wherein Conscience delivereth her testimony and report in the management of this self-trial how 't is with us as to matter of fact with reference to the matter of law or rule contained in the former Proposition Here I advise 1. Let Conscience discuss the truth thereof before she determines on her testimony The Psalmist reflects and revolves the case upon his thoughts ere Conscience shall make report Nor will he adventure to determine without a diligent self-discussion I commune with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search And surely 't is no less our duty than his whose danger as being less fallible is far more Psal 76.6 4.4 2 Pet. 1.10 Heb. 6.11 Laodicea might easily have disproved that false testimony Thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing If she had but discussed it first in her own thoughts but being careless in this she knew not that she was miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 The Jews say Joh. 8.41 We have one Father even God Our Saviour returns the speech to a further search of Conscience which might easily correct such a mistake and misreport as this Nay if God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God c. ver 42 44 45. The like he doth ver 33 34 39 40. We were never in bondage say they we are Abraham's seed and he is our father and no doubt they speake according to the suffrage of their Conscience But he remits it to second and more serious considerations Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin If ye be Abraham's children ye would do the works of Abraham But ye seek to kill me c. this did not Abraham 'T is requisite then that you return the testimony once and again to a further reflection and review of Conscience Sometimes 1. the calling back of Circumstances may confute the vanity and falshood of such a Testimony Would Babylon have said I shall be a Lady for ever if she had laid these things to heart Isa 47.6 7. Or those in Mich. 3.11 Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us if they had but looked backwards and lain hold upon the circumstances of their disobedience ver 9.10 2. Sometimes the calling in of sense as Jer. 2.23 How canst thou say I am not polluted I have not gone after Baalim See thy way in the Valley c. 3. Most times the calling over and consulting with Scriptures which pierce like a two-edged sword even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and maketh manifest the secrets thereof to it self unto a sound Conviction Heb. 4.12 1 Cor. 14.24 25. 4. But would we carry on the converse in our own Conscience we
them Prov. 4.23 Mat. 26.41 Prov. 22.5 3. Close with her Testimony though she speak against thee Let not thy Affections kick and thy Will cast it back upon Conscience to give a more favourable witness for thee 'T is better Conscience should be a severe Witness here than a never-dying Worm hereafter The more fully and faithfully she testifieth the more friendly is she and the more it turneth to thy felicity Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful Psal 141.5 Prov. 27.6 4 Let Conscience be told ever and anon of the Testimony she must deliver in the day of Judgment Then the Books shall be opened the Book of Conscience within as well as of Creatures and Scriptures without Then must thou shalt thou O my Conscience give a plain and impartial Testimony to all things done in the body Then all thy frauds and fallacies which thou now puttest upon me shall be unvailed and pluckt off before God Men and Angels Then shalt thou bear the shame of them and must suffer for them Thy flatteries and unfaithfulness shall be all laid bare and open Oh how much better were it for thee and me to bring forth thy righteous Testimony now to our Conversion than in that day to our Confusion Alas what can be hid from him who knoweth all things Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it Thou mayst deceive me but canst thou deceive my God also That day shall discover it If thou fearest the shame and sting of such a Witness in this day shouldst not thou rather fear and fly the shame and sting thereof in that day Now it may be eased and healed by Repentance Defer thy Testimony till then and the shame and torment will be easless endless and remediless Rev. 20.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Eccles 12.14 Mar. 9.44 5 Let Conscience be demanded to give her Witness as in the presence of God the great Judg. Charge her to speak to thee as she would speak to and before him Is not the answer of a good Conscience towards God O my Conscience is not God greater than thy self and knoweth all things Wilt thou witness this thing to God for me as Peter's did Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And canst thou appeal him as a Witness in the case with and for thee as he also did Canst thou attest him as they did Josh 22.21 22. The Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he knoweth Canst thou say and say truly Behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high as Job did And wilt thou answer to him for me what thou now answerest me as before him Lo O Lord thou knowest Thou O Lord knowest me thou hast seen me and tried mine heart Thou hast tried me and shalt find nothing Thou knowest that I am not wicked 1 Pet. 3.21 1 Joh. 3.20 Joh. 21.15 17. Job 16.19 Psal 40.9 Jer. 12.3 Psal 17.3 Job 10.7 Direct 3. Touching the Conclusion wherein Conscience is to denounce the sentence upon the trial made agreeable to the truth she dictateth in the Proposition and to the testimony which she delivereth in the Assumption Here I advise 1 See that Conscience pronounce the sentence upon thee Or why are all these proceeds hitherto Why are 1. the word and statutes of Heaven consulted 2. The Court set 3. The Witness sworn and heard Shall the Records of Heaven be produced and the Records of my Heart proved to no purpose Hast thou done so many things O my Conscience in vain if it shall be yet in vain But because Conscience is so prone to protract the sentence and to forbear the conclusion which should follow upon the Premisses and doth naturally and necessary follow upon the Proposition and Assumption in a Logical discourse as one well observeth * See Ames de Consc l. 1. c. 9. §. 5. 10. I advise these things 1. If Conscience be silent suspect thy condition is not well or that at least it is not well with Conscience I shall not say that her suspending of the Conclusion doth always speak the condition and state of the Soul to be a state of sin Because deserted Saints through the power of fear and temptations and the weakness of their faith in such troubles may not be able to derive and draw it down to themselves But ordinarily and out of the case of desertion it speaks the condition ill and lyable to suspition 'T was not well with David when he turns the conclusion and sentence to another which he should have taken to himself and the Prophet was fain to take up the office of Conscience and tell him Thou art the man c. He cannot be apprehended to have been either ignorant of God's Law or of his own lascivious and murtherous fact But Conscience did not conclude or argue and apply it home And it was very ill with them who knowing the judgment of God that they who did such things were worthy of death and that they did them yet concluded not their estate upon it but continued in their sin Nor was their condition safe or Conscience sound that could wave the Conclusion when the Premisses were so clear Neither say they in their heart let us now fear the Lord c. Jer. 5.23 24. 2 Sam. 12.5 6 7. Rom. 1.32 2. If Conscience do not speak to thee do thou speak to Conscience God complaineth when men do not set and say to their hearts when they do not call upon and converse with them Isa 44.19 Hos 7.2 Argue it with her and urge her to proceed to sentence and to perfect her discourse in giving judgment Urge her by her past proceeds of which before By her place and power Hath not God made thee a Judg in Israel set thee next under himself and over me that thou shouldst shew me the sentence in judgment Is not thy commission Divine His concurrence declared who is with you in the judgment to behold if thou judgest falsly to approve if thy judgment be according to verity Deut. 17.9 2 Chron. 19.6 1 Joh. 3.20 21. By her Precedency Thou expectest from inferiour Judges that they proceed to judgment and wilt expostulate and rebuke them if they shall adventure to retard it and judgment goeth not forth Thou art superiour to any to all of them God hath set thee as Solomon set his Mother next himself on the Throne And if thou shalt clear no matter if they all condemn me But if thou condemn not all of them can quit me May not they dare to adventure upon unnecessary delays in Civil concernments and durst thou to delay and defer the sentence in Spiritual in Soul-matters and of eternal consequence Deut. 16.18 19 20. Hab. 1.4 1 King 2.19 Rom. 8.33 c. 1 Joh. 3.20 By her Principles Civil Judges have severals to consult without them ere they can come to sentence But thou O my Conscience containest all within thee whereby thou mayst be
both clear and quick or expeditious in the judgment Thou needst not call for Law-books or foreign Witnesses With thee is a treasury of Laws and thou art more than a thousand Witnesses 3. If Conscience yet suspends judgment cite her before the supream Judg. Behold Conscience the Judg standeth before the door He is greater than the Conscience to him thou must accompt Thou mayst apologize to me but how wilt thou answer it to him who made thee his deputy and substituted thee upon this very design And hath said to Conscience as Jehoshaphat to his Judges Take heed what ye do for ye judg not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment Wherefore take heed and do it Jam. 5.9 1 Joh. 30.20 2 Chron. 19.5 6 7. 2 See that Conscience pronounce the sentence fully and clearly upon thee An half-sentence can give but half-satisfaction If the sentence be dubious thy Soul will still be in the dark Why all this pains Not for airy hopes but for assurance of the heart before God 1 Joh. 3.19 To this end 1. Be full and clear with Conscience in exposing all thou art and dost to her sentence without any of the restraints of self-love without any reserve for any secret lusts Self-love will be putting in for her immunities A clear and impartial sentence will shake all her foundations hitherto of quiet and self-ease And therefore importuneth Conscience as David sometime did his chief Commanders Deal gently for my sake yea and for thy own sake for thou must sustain the effects of such a sentence 2 Tim. 3.2 cum 5. 2 Sam. 18.5 Secret lusts will be putting in for an indemnity which it may be Conscience hath cockered or at least hitherto connived at Wherefore should we be slain Have not we took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in company c. But Conscience must quit them ere it can clear thec 'T will be a partial sentence if she parteth not with these sins Or if she speak peace it will be but the shew and paint of it so long as ye will walk after the imagination of your own hearts Psal 19.12 13. 18.23 Deut. 29.19 Bring all then before the Bar of Conscience and that Bar without any vails or coverts and tell her as Cornelius told Peter we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10.33 2. Be free yet close with Conscience You may remember her there will be another audit and what will attend if she shall give a loose or partial judgment Cursed be he that perverteth judgment But remember her withal that therefore this thy appearance is made before her throne of Judicature and thou demandest it as thy right not as a matter of courtesie from her but as of debt and duty As of old it was ordained Thou shalt come to the Judg and enquire and he shall shew thee the sentence of judgment Deut. 27.19 c. 17.9 See thou do not see her by any carnal indulgence for a gift blindeth the eyes of the wise and perverteth the words of righteousness and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery Deut. 16.19 Job 15.34 Nor flatter her by any corrupt inducements The flattering mouth worketh ruin Psal 36.2 Prov. 26.28 Be plain with Conscience Lo I have now put my self my state my salvation upon thy sentence 'T is thy work to condemn or clear me thy eternal wo or weal is concerned in it I require thee as before the supream and all-seeing Judg to judg righteously I do not sollicite for favour but seek justice at thy mouth How long shall I take counsel in my soul When wilt thou bring it to a conclusion that I may know my estate what I am Follow her with arguments and importunities till she answereth thee in the words of the Psalmist I will judg uprightly Psal 75.2 Q. 4. How may we difference the Peace of a good and of an evil Conscience and so discern that ours is a sound and an Evangelical Peace Doubtless there is a difference * See Fenner's Treat of Consc p. 137. to 167. Robinsons Christ all in all p. 187 188 Collin's right way to true peace p. 51. ad 62. or our Saviour had not delivered it as he doth Joh. 14.27 cum 22. But he that would drive this nail to the head for the discovery of his own peace whether it be true or false should discuss it thorowly with his own Conscience how it came to take up this peace The peace that an evil Conscience bears groweth usually out of one of these two roots 1. Either out of the sluggishness of Conscience that puts not the estate upon trial 2. Or from the shifts and unfaithfulness of Conscience if it proceed to trial 1. Fither in the Proposition 2. Or in the Assumption 3. Or in the Conclusion as hath been shewed You should dig to the very bottom in this business Whether this peace be the product of pains prayers and of proving your hearts and states once and again What pains did Conscience take in it What proceed did Conscience make in it Did it give full and infallible marks for the trial of your estates Did it give a faithful and impartial testimony in the trial And did it give a free and unbiassed judgment upon the trial of your estates Produce and prove thy Evidences That your enmity against godliness is turned into peace and therewith amity That you are as earnest for holiness as you were for sin or are for happiness and as great a friend to the purity as to the peace of Conscience Prove that the spirit of peace hath renewed and sanctified you That the Prince of Peace Christ Jesus ruleth in and hath the Soveraignty over you That the God of peace is related as a Father to you and is that supream good and end to whom you finally refer your selves in point of felicity and duty and then your peace which is gathered from these Premisses is proved therewith to be true pious and Evangelical But to give you the difference enquired after though every thing I herewith offer doth not serve to discover it effectually in such a practical inquiry without some further reference The Evangelical peace of the good Conscience and the quiet or peace of an evil Conscience are different 1. In the eminency of this Evangelical Peace 1. In point of truth That other is but the shadow and semblance of peace but this is solid substantial peace 'T is peace peace Isa 26.3 c. 57.19 not only the resemblance or appearance of peace but real rich assured abundant peace But there is no peace saith my God unto the wicked ver 21. Isa 48.22 Let men call it by the title of peace yet God accounts it to be in truth no peace 2 In point of tranquillity That other is mostly but negative a freedom from storms but this is positive a fulness of serenity There
gives it to you by the spirit of Regeneration This Man shall be the peace when Divine justice on the one hand or the Devil on the other hand like the Assyrian shall invade Conscience Joh. 14.27 Phil. 4.7 Mich. 5.5 Is the blood of his Cross then that peace-offering you present unto the Father the peace you plead for is it upon the account of your service or of his satisfaction of your deserts or of his death for you There is no preaching peace but by Jesus Christ Col. 1.20 Act. 10.36 The prime instruments of your peace what were or what are they Was it the Gospel of Peace then will the Ministration and Ministry thereof be more beautiful in your eyes Nah. 1.15 Isa 52.7 Was it the grace of faith 'T is first grace then peace throughout the Gospel No peace before grace much less without grace 'T is believing in Christ that brings the calm upon the Conscience Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 Joh. 14.1 Rom. 5.1 Try your faith then whether it be beyond temporary whether it be truly justifying ere you take up with peace He cannot be the God of peace to you if he be not the God of hope and faith unto you The God of hope fill you with peace in believing saith the Apostle Rom. 15.13 2 Enquire into the matter of your Peace not so much that of which it consisteth as about which it is conversant To mention but an head or two 1. Is it Communion with God which consists in that mutual relation and those mutual returns which pass 'twixt God and a Believer in the descending of his graces and ascending of our duties What say you are these the matters that take up the tranquillity of your mind the mutual interest that God and you have in each other that he is yours and you are his the mutual intercourse that you have with each other in his mercies and your duties while he draweth nigh to you in extending the grace of his favour and you draw nigh to him in exercising the graces of his Spirit This this is the heart of Evangelical Peace acquaintance with God fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Here the believing Soul doth lye down in Peace Job 22.21 1 Joh. 1.3 4. Psal 4.6 8. 2. Is it the Kingdom of God specially in and over you That false peace is never thorow in the former and taketh its leave in this latter It may be taken with God's love but turns aside from his laws especially from that part which is cross to his carnal interest But Evangelical peace hath endearing and precious thoughts of the very laws the rule and restraints of Divine Government He rejoyceth and worketh righteousness and the work of righteousness is his peace and rejoycing Psal 119.165 169. Isa 65.5 c. 32.17 How is Conscience pleased then with the commands of God in that he hath the dominion of Conscience and will not dispense with the least corruptions and will have the ducture of your whole Conversations Read the language and resolution herein of the good and peaceable Conscience Isa 26.12 13. 3 Enquire into the formal cause There is no Gospel-peace of Conscience but what is spoken by God thorow Christ in the Gospel The peace spoken by Conscience through the Gospel standing in an accord to what is spoken by Christ in the Gospel And it is not only therefore called the peace of God * Phil. 4.7 in that it is caused principally by him he is the fountain of it But in regard of the conformity thereof to his pleasure which gives form and being to it Thus Evangelical Conscience doth not absolve or justifie before or without God but with and because God absolves and justifies * Rom. 5.1 9. It 1. reads and reviews God's sentence of peace in the Gospel Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ c. As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them 1 Pet. 5.14 Rom. 8.1 Gal. 6.16 2. It reflects and resumes But I who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit am in Christ I walk after this rule as God himself is my witness Hence 3. he reports and agrees God's sentence in the Gospel to his own Soul in particular Therefore to me is peace God hath cleared me therefore Conscience cleareth me And so have I quietness in and confidence toward God Behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high 1 Joh. 3.21 Job 34.29 c. 16.19 Well then it must be peace in Heaven or there can be no peace to speak properly in your hearts Your hearts are at peace because heaven is at peace and this heart-peace bears accord with heavens peace * Luk. 2.14 19.38 And be sure God can never speak peace in you upon any other terms than he hath in the Gospel spoken peace to you 4 Enquire into the final cause This peace of God is finally for the God of peace it sits not down in self-ease but is set for his service and the enjoyment of himself Yea it not only pursueth good works but would be made perfect to every good work Nor doth this Soul content it self in the sweets of this joy and peace but his care and character is that in these things he serveth Christ Heb. 9.14 chap. 13.20 21. Rom. 14.17 18. Whither doth your peace then extend and where doth it terminate it self True peace of Conscience can never take up short of God in Christ This is its earnest expectation and hope that shall be magnified and his service maintained and his own Soul shall more abound in holiness and in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost The thoughts of this heart are not only taken up about his own felicity and peace but about the furtherance of God's praise the fulfilling of his pleasure and the peaceable fruits of righteousness If there be any vertue if there be any praise he thinks on these things Phil. 1.20 Rom. 15.13 Jam. 3.18 Phil. 4.7 8. In short as this peace is by reception from God so its rest is in and with God It lifts up the Soul unto him lifts him upmost in the Soul lays its charge thereon to repose her self upon him to rejoyce in him and upon every miscarriage to return to him as her only rest and center Psal 86.4 c. 73.25 26. 62.5 116.7 4. The peace of a good and evil Conscience are differenced in and by the effects of it The peace of an evil Conscience usually renders men less circumspect and inobservant of spiritual dangers more slight and overly in spiritual duties c. But Evangelical peace ends in 1 Greater vigilance over himself and against sin satan as also in the objects of sense that he turn not again to solly Psal 85.8 Rom. 16.19 20. 1 Thes 5.5 6 8 9. Doth this peace
comforts though he will not break his Covenant 1 Pet. 5.10 2 Cor. 1.3 Jer. 32.39 40. Isa 59.21 Psal 89.31 35. 2. Besides their tendency or respect is different Grace appertaineth to the being of a Saint Peace to his well-being A man cannot be a Saint without that but he may be a Saint though sad without this A man doth not cease to be because he ceaseth to be well Sickness doth not unman us though it unmirths us 2. Neither may we measure the strength of grace by our sweets of peace David Job Asaph Heman were most signal instances of the life of piety as well as of the loss of peace They were not so much below others in this but they were as much above them in that The Scriptures do sufficiently furnish us with examples of the greatest works of grace in the greatest want of peace Job 13.15 Hab. 3.17 18. Psal 44.17 25. But of this more hereafter Q. 10. How may we recover Peace of Conscience which we have now lost especially our Souls lying in so much distress and perplexity Direct 1. Take up betimes and suffer not these sores to root deeper in thee or run any longer upon thee I say to thee as Jonathan to his lad Make speed haste stay not And as the voice to Paul Make haste and get thee quickly out of Hierusalem out of this dark and deplorable condition Hasten thy escape from the fearfulness and tremblings those windy storms and tempests that now overwhelm thee 1 Sam. 20.38 Act. 22.18 Psal 55.4 9. 1 To this end read over thy losses and let this give life to renewed labours Hast thou not lost the sight of thy God the sweets of thy grace the suavities of Scriptures and Ordinances and the securities and soul-satisfactions which thou wert wont to take in thy secret and solemn offices and in the delicious views of thy sanctified habits and faculties And canst thou lie still under such sore losses Job 9.11 Lam. 3.17 18. Psal 119.81 82. 2 Ruminate on thy condition and let this quicken thee Is it a condition only of loss of thy dear peace Nay but a condition of lamentable and deep perplexity While it may be friends are bewailing enemies are boasting or blaspheming Satan is tempting sin is troubling and the thoughts of God are a terrour to thee And is this a condition to be rested in from day to day Job 19.21 Psal 69.20 26. 2 Cor. 2.11 Psal 38.3 6. Job 30.15 16. 3 Reflect on thy case yet more distinctly and let this disabuse and excite thee In all other troubles thou hast thy self to befriend thee But in this case when Conscience is smiting and accusing thy self will be engaged against thee thine own Soul will disquiet and perhaps distract thee Conscience will call in all against thee the Affections to awaken and arm their fears cares sorrows c. the Memory to account and sum up thy transgressions which trifled away thy joys both in themselves and in their circumstances thy Understanding to aggravate both thy transgressions and troubles and to answer whatsoever is tendered to reduce her to tranquility Job 30.15 16. Psal 42.5 55.4 5. 40.12 22.14 c. 4 Reckon with thy self what it will come to if thou continue thus and thereby call forth and raise up endeavour Thou art going down-hill apace and must expect without an early anticipation to degenerate from bad to worse from one sorrow to another from casting down to disquiet and from thence to distraction from troubles of Conscience to terrours and from terrours to horrours yea and from one sin to another from oscitancy to obduracy and from thence to obstinacy from despondence to diffidence and from thence happily to despair Psal 42.11 88.15 16. 55.3 Heb. 3.12 13. Psal 73.13 c. 5 Recall thy past comforts and let these constrain thee to mend thy pace Canst thou forget those halcyon days and happy discoveries of divine grace to and in thee when thou heard'st nothing but the sweet sounds of peace either from within or without thee like that of Amasai to David Peace peace be unto thee and peace be to thine helpers How canst thou but cast back a wish with Job thither and quicken thee to thy work O that I were as in months past as in the days when God preserved me when his candle shined upon my head and by his light I walked through darkness and his secret was upon my tabernacle 1 Chron. 12.18 Job 29.2 7. Direct 2. Try over thy condition by an even ballance 'T is possible you may have mistaken your case and thence miss your comforts as the Psalmist did a further trial may set the former right Psal 77.10 71.22 Prov. 13.7 1 Try the cause Whatever be the causes from which to be sure sin is the cause for which these sad concussions are fallen upon thee God afflicteth not willingly 'T is our iniquity doth in a sort inforce him to it Hast thou not procured this unto thy self Yea thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart Psal 38.3 4. Lam. 3.33 Jer. 30.14 c. 2.17 19. c. 4.18 Seek out the Jonah that special sin for which this storm is sent let it not lie sleeping by the sides of the Ship while you are ready to sink or split Know and see wherein hath been this sin this day This is not a time so much for whining over thy losses as for winnowing off thy lusts not so much for sighing out thy complaints as for searching out thy corruptions The Church is not for sitting down and telling over her woes but for searching and trying of her ways in such a condition as this 1 Sam. 14.38 Psal 77.6 Lam. 3.39 40. Yea beg God to search thee and shew thee that sin which hath made so sad a breach Leave thy complaint upon thy self with Job charge not God foolishly Crave his discovery Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Make me to know my transgression and my sin Psal 139.23 Job 10.1 2. c. 13.23 2 The life of Grace is an hidden life hidden not only in Christ but oft-times from the Conscience But then like the treasure which the Gospel tells you of 't is hidden for your search though it be hidden from your sight Col. 3.3 1 Pet. 3.4 Mat. 13.41 Prov. 2.4 Would you dig to the bottom who knoweth but you might descry this treasure and defeat the tentation that is now upon you I acknowledg that it is none of the happiest seasons for trial of the truth of your Sanctification but diligence herein may overcome the difficulties hereof My spirit made diligent search saith Asaph when his state was as arduous and afflicted as yours Psal 77.6 You may find enough to support hope if not to satisfie your heart And though you see little smoke and sensless heat and warmth of grace yet a strict search may discover
thy present succours and supports Your sighs are many and your heart is faint but the seed of peace as well as of grace remaineth Distressed you are but not in despair cast down but not utterly for the Lord upholdeth you with his hand Whither had Satan and your own sins and sorrows hurried you if the everlasting arms had not been under you Lam. 1.22 Psal 97.11 1 Joh. 3.9 2 Cor. 4.8 Psal 37.24 Deut. 33.27 Besides are there not some secrets hints and intimations now and then suggested you that your grounds of peace are better and God is better pleased with you than your prejudices will admit Your beloved standeth behind the wall but doth he not look forth sometimes also at the windows and shew himself through the lattess And must you not tell him if you would speak truth with the Psalmist When my spirit was overwhelmed within me then thou knewest my path Cant. 2.9 Psal 142.3 Would you hereupon argue it with your selves as the Psalmists doth it would cheer and quicken hopes if not quiet your hearts He reasons off his anxious conceptions hereby at one time and rebukes his hasty conclusions against himself at another Psal 42.11 43.5 31.22 Q. 11. Whether and how far a pious Christian besides the loss of his peace may be burdened with and live under great perplexity and distress of Conscience No doubt he may if we mind but what is â—ready delivered The premisses on Q. 8. and 〈◊〉 may seem proof enough But in that the â—ghs and self-censures of many precious Saints â—â—e such as call upon us to behold and see if there were ever any sorrow like unto their â—rrow Or if ever under the whole Heaven â—â—th been done upon any pious Soul as hath â—een done upon their particular selves I am â—erswaded therefore to be more particular * See Symond's Deserted Soul cap. 25 36. Lam. 1.12 Dan. 12.2 I say therefore your Conscience may not only deny you peace but denounce war and the dreadfullest punishments and yet you may be devoutly pious Instances have been already premised Q. 9. and more will be added in the progress of this Discourse Be it but admitted or granted which hath been already asserted and made good that a pious Christian may lose the Evidences of Grace and may look upon himself as in the estate of nature and I need say little to confirm the Proposition that he may be in deep distress and passionate perplexities Whether Conscience be considered or the concourse of other causes to afflict him in such a condition as this 1 Let Conscience be considered Your Conscience was created with a capability of sustaining the evils of sense as well as the evils of loss By her receptive capacity she is disposed to take in the impressions of both and as well to let in the sense of guilt and misery upon the perpetration of sin as the sense of good and felicity upon perseverance in sanctity By its active capacity it is disposed to accuse and condemn as well as to acquit and clear Yea the activity of Conscience doth much further the Christians anguish and sharpens the sword in the hand of Conscience and doubleth its strokes especially while unbelieâ— leaves the Conscience destitute of the succours she should receive from Christ and the Covenant c. without her and lays her naked and deplorably subject to her own cutting accusations and killing aggravations of this estate without the least resistance from within her Besides the authority of Conscience doth much heighten and hasten on such self-afflictions while Conscience is both law and plaintiff and witness and judg and executioner and all this from God So that if the Soul would in this case make its appeal to him Conscience doth arrest and stay it Nay saith she 't is God that chargeth God that condemneth you I am but his mouth his officer c. Yea hereupon it aggravateth and abetteth the sadness of this Soul's estate If I that know or can recall so few things by you if your heart condemn you God is greater than your heart who knoweth all things So that if the Conscience of the pious may thus conclude of their estate as hath been premised to be without God and grace c. the product must needs be calamitous Distress of Conscience is the deepest distress the bones are dried by it the spirit is broken by it And Solomon puts it to requestion Who can bear it Prov. 17.22 c. 15.13 c. 18.14 2 What a concourse of other causes is there often times that all wring their wormwood into this bitter cup Shall I mention and but mention some of them 1. The principal is God He doth not only â—ide his face from his yet at that the Soul is â—oubled but he encreaseth his frowns sharpâ—eth his eyes against them tears them in his â—rath as was Job's case yet a none-such for â—ncerity Psal 30.7 Job 13.24 c. 16.9 c. 19.11.1.8 He tells his Church I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy with the chastisement of a cruel one c. He tells others I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth c. Jer. 30.14 Isa 57.17 Oh how must this cut the Saint at the heart and fill his mind with consternation and his mouth with complaints That God his God on whom he had pitcht all his hopes in whom he had placed all his happiness with whom he had sometime as he then thought such pleasant intercourse and of whom he had such precious experiences that this God so good so great so desirable so dear so respected so related c. hath unsheathed his sword against him or rather sheathed it in him and made Conscience his best friend to become now his bitterest foe 2. The procuring cause is Sin which is now set forth before the Soul in its nature number dismal sequel dreadful circumstances c. which are as Oyl to the flames and winds to this Sea of troubles that make Conscience rage and roar in more abundance Wo to me that I have sinned I am not able to look up An heavy burden are they God is pressed with them Christ was pierced by them they are too heavy for me Lam. 5.16 Psal 40.12 38.3 4. 3. The promoting causes are several Satan roareth as a Lion upon them and would swallow them up in these sorrows and castâ— in his fiery darts to keep up those flamesâ— 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Cor. 2.7 cum 11. Ephes 6.16 Sinners either censure or scoffe at them which even slays the broken in heart Ay! this is that your religion comes to I thought you would grow mad c. Psal 109.16 25. 69.26 Act. 26.24 Saints it may be either stand aloof as strangers or smite with causeless and cruel censures yea even good men great friends and such as have been of our most inward and intimate familiarity and perhaps of our own family Which must needs add weight to their burdens Such