great comfort and of judgement with joy So could not Felix Beloved this is a strong signe of a false peace when some points of Gods word lay us slat and bereave us of our hold Ye shall have many say O they have such peace and they have such a good conscience as quiet as can be and as heartwhole as can be By and by a sound searching point cometh and ransacketh them to the quick and they are gone I confesse they go and get some untempered morter or other and dawb up their consciences again but they are gone for the time This is a strong signe of a rotten peace But a child of God can heare any point heare of death of judgement of any thing contained in the word with delight and comfort It is true he may be amazed thereat but he is glad at heart that he heareth it and will make use of it be it mercy or judgement Sweet or bitter points all are welcome to him even the bitterest points are sweet to him because God and he are at peace and therefore he knoweth there is no news from God but it is good IV. If our peace of conscience be good it will heal that base fearfulnesse which is in many who dare not be in the dark dare not go through a church-yard in the night Some will quake at the very shaking of a leaf as the wicked in Job which is nothing but a guiltie conscience I grant this fearfulnesse is naturall to some yet I say the true peace of conscience will cure it I do not say this is a reciprocall signe of true peace of conscience for many wicked men may be bold enough but I say true peace of conscience will cure this immoderate fearfulnesse in the godly But here two questions are to be asked I. Whether every true child of God that hath true peace of conscience can think of death with comfort and be desirous to die Answ 1. Peace of conscience doth not take away naturall fear It is the nature of every living creature to be very fearfull of death The Philosopher calleth death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fearfullest thing of all fearfull things Bildad calleth it the king of terrours Nature loveth its own preservation and therefore feareth the destruction of it Peace of conscience doth not take away all this fear 2. Besides peace of conscience doth not take away alwayes all degrees of slavish fear of death The reason is because peace of conscience may be weak mixed with much troubles of conscience For as faith may be very imperfect so peace of conscience may be in some very imperfect Good old Hilarion was very fearfull to die He cried out to his soul when he lay on his death-bed O my soul hast thou served Christ these fourescore years and art thou now afraid to die Again a mans love may be very imperfect Perfect love indeed casteth out fear but imperfect love doth not Hezekiah had peace of conscience Remember Lord saith he I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Mark He had the peace of a good conscience his conscience told him he had a sincere heart and that his wayes pleased God yet he was afraid to die I do not think it was onely because he had no issue though that might be some reason of it 3. When a child of God is afraid to die it is not so much for love of this life as out of a desire to be better prepared This made David cry out O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more And so Job Let me alone that I may take comfort a little before I go whence I shall not return These good men were then something unwilling to die They might have many reasons most likely this was one That they might be better prepared and more fit and ready for their departure 4. Some of Gods people as these Job and David at other times I say some of Gods people have such marvellous peace with God as that if it were Gods will they had much rather die then live I desire to be dissolved saith Paul and to be with Christ which is farre better It may be in regard of the church or the care of their children and charge God hath laid on them they could be content to remain still in the body neverthelesse they account their state after death much better and were it put to them whether to die or to live longer here they would choose death rather of the twain Nay Elias requested for himself that he might die It is enough Lord take away my life Not that they love death it self for death is evil in its own nature contrary to nature a badge of sinne but for the love they have to and the assurance they have of eternall life after death 5. Nay there is no child of God but may truly be said to love death and to love the day of judgement and the appearing of Christ Jesus Divines use to put this as a signe of Gods children Nay the Apostle maketh this as a propertie of Gods children to love Christs appearing I have fought a good fight saith Paul I have finished my course There he telleth us of his own peace and then he telleth us of his reward From henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me in that day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing that is to all his children For all the children of God love the appearing of Jesus Christ to judgement Though all do not desire it with the same strength of faith yet all desire it with faith They believe that Christ hath destroyed him that hath the power of death which is the devil they believe Christ hath taken away deaths sting which is sinne and swallowed death up in victory and may all say Thanks be unto God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Neither do they so much question this as their faith to believe it saying Lord help our unbelief 6. Gods children have good reason to do so and to check their own hearts whenever they do otherwise Whenever any disturst cometh they should check it down again whenever any fear ariseth they should say What I fear death which is a thing so precious Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Is death precious and shall I be so vain as to fear it Thus ye see an answer to the first question Whether every child of God that hath true peace of conscience can be desirous to die II. Quest Whether a wicked man that hath no peace of conscience may not be desirous to die too Answ 1. The horrour of conscience may make a wicked man desirous to die He may have so much horrour of conscience as that he may think
conscience will be worth then When Paul was accused and hardly thought of by some of the Corinthians this was his comfort I know nothing by my self saith his conscience I count it a very sâ—all thing to be judged of you Nay he goeth further His conscience telleth him he hath the Lord Jesus who justifieth him to judge him he hath a sweeter Judge then his own conscience even his Saviour to judge him O there is no created comfort in the world like the comfort of a peaceable conscience The heathen Menaâ—der could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience is a little pettie god We may not give it such a big title but this is most certain The conscience is Gods echo of peace to the soul in life in death in judgement it is unspeakable comfort Is there any then that want this Let them above all things labour to get it It is more worth then all things else Whatever we neglect let us not neglect this It is safer to neglect bodie health means maintenance friends and all that ever we have in the world then to neglect this The more we have the worse it is for us if we have not this Had we all this worlds good it is like a stone in a serpents head or a toads head or a pearl in an oyster not our perfection but our disease Again you who have a peaceable conscience 1. Labour to maintain it Be often in communion with God be not strangers to him the light of whose countenance is the peace of your souls It is the walking with God that breedeth true peace and preserveth it It is said of Levi that he walked with God in peace O let us stirre up our selves to walk close with God that so we may have peace No sweet peace but in so doing 2. We must take heed we do not trouble nor disquiet it that we do not resist it or offer violence unto it by committing sinne against the peace of it but endeavour to maintain the peace of it by obeying the voyce of it Get the fear of God which is wisdome and to depart from evil which is true understanding All her paths are peace Prov. 3 17. We cannot walk in any one path of true wisdome but we shall find in it peace There is peace in humilitie and peace in charity and peace in godlinesse and peace in obedience c. Break any of these things and ye break the peace Ye heare what an admirable thing the peace of conscience is O then if ye have it make much of it nay if ye have it ye will for certain make much of it The very having of it will teach you the worth of it and learn you to prize it and make you above all things unwilling to leave it And thus much of the first viz. a quiet conscience An unquiet conscience I Have already handled a quiet conscience I come now to speak of a troubled and unquiet conscience Concerning which I shall shew you three things 1. What it is 2. The degrees of it 3. The difference of the trouble that may be in a good and that may be in a bad conscience I. What a troubled conscience is It is a conscience accusing for sinne and affrighting with apprehensions of Gods wrath And here I would have you consider two things 1. What are the causes of it 2. Wherein it consisteth First The causes of it are these five 1. The guilt of sinne When a man hath done evil and his conscience doth know it then doth the conscience crie guiltie when he knoweth it saith the text then he shall be guilty This is it which woundeth and pierceth conscience this is the sad voyce of conscience Like Judas I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Like Cain My sinne is greater then can be forgiven So the brethren of Joseph We are guilty say they concerning our brother It is like the head of an arrow sticking in the flesh or like a dreadfull object continually presenting it self before our eyes My sinne is ever before me saith David When we have transgressed Gods law and our conscience can cry guiltie when the guilt of sinne lieth upon conscience this is one cause of the trouble of it 2. Another cause is the apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne When knowing that we have sinned and offended God we apprehend his wrath in our minds and behold the revenging eye of his justice against us This is a very grievous thing so terrible that no man or angel is able to abide it As we see the kings and potentates the mighty men of the earth call for the mountains to fall upon them and the hills to cover them from the wrath of God Rev. 6.15 16. When we have incurred Gods displeasure and our consciences see it when his anger resteth upon us and our consciences feel it this is another cause of the trouble of conscience 3. A third cause of the trouble of conscience is the fear of death and of hell When we know we have offended Gods law and we know also what our sinnes do deserve namely death and judgement aad damnation for ever this doth most trouble and disquiet conscience when it fastneth on the apprehension of it The Apostle calleth it a fearfull looking for of judgement When conscience looketh for nothing else but for hell and damnation this must needs trouble conscience 4. Another cause is privative want of supportance when God doth withhold from conscience the help of his Spirit Ye know the Spirit can inable conscience to undergo all its troubles the Spirit can prompt it with mercies and the promises of God and hold it up but when the Lord bereaveth the conscience of this help and doth not at all support it this must needs also trouble conscience 5. When God doth fasten on the conscience such thoughts as may affright and terrifie it as thus God doth not love me Christ will not own me I have sinned I am a reprobate past hope c. When such thoughts as these fasten on the conscience it cannot choose then but be troubled Thus I have shewed you what are the causes of the trouble of conscience Secondly This trouble of conscience consisteth in two things First in want of comfort It cannot apply to it self neither the promises of this life nor of that which is to come Conscience crieth This belongeth not to me This mercy this comfort is not my portion Secondly In a terrour and anguish of mind from these three heads 1. From the guilt of sinne 2. From the apprehension of Gods wrath 3. From fear of death and of judgement This is the three-stringed whip wherewith conscience is lashed These ye shall find upon the conscience of Adam and Eve when they had sinned against God Their conscience was whipped 1. With the guilt of sinne they saw they were naked Gen. 3.7 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath they hid themselves from the
saith He that hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse shall be filled He that doeth these things shall never fall c. Get the rule of your hearts and lives to meet and ye have what ye desire O what infinite mercy is this to all godly souls that the Lord hath planted this conscience in their bosomes that they need not go farre for their comfort their own consciences and the rule may preach it to them Secondly The wicked on the other side if they continue as they are may hence gather arguments for their own damnation If the rule and conscience might be heard they would speak bitter things against them and give a fearfull sentence on them It may be they can smother their consciences now for a time but they will one day reade them a fearfull lecture I speak not now onely of those who drown their consciences in their cups and fear their consciences by their grosse sinnes but of those who would seem godly and perform good duties but with hypocriticall hearts and carnall minds O that they would heare but conscience argue a little in this manner To be carnally minded is death that is is an evident signe of a man that is in the state of death and damnation But saith conscience I am carnally minded or we are carnally minded Therefore we have an argument about us of death and damnation And so also for all other sinnes There is not a wicked man under heaven but he may argue out of his own miserable estate by his conscience or he might if it were awaked as one day it will be Thirdly this may serve for instruction No matter what opinions men have of us in the world The question is What is the judgement of our own consciences upon us It may be thou art taken for a man of great knowledge and a forward man in godlinesse it may be the godly dare not judge otherwise of thee but the question is What is the judgement of conscience Doth not thy conscience tell thee thou art but a proud fool conceited of thy knowledge and lovest to heare thy self talk And so for thy performance of good duties what testimony doth conscience give of the manner of doing of them The testimoniall of conscience is above all testimonials in the world all the good opinions of the world are not worth a rush without this If conscienâ—â— can say that in our wayes we seek to please God and allow not our selves in any evil vvay this testimony is full and satisfactory and onely this Yet further concerning this judiciall vvitnesse of conscience It is either about things to be done or omitted or things already done or omitted The judiciall vvitnesse of conscience about things to be done or omitted is double 1. To judge out of Gods lavv vvhether it be good or evil 2 To counsel out of our ovvn judgements either to do it or forbear it according as the nature of the action is If it be good conscience vvill counsel us to do it if bad to forbear it The judiciall vvitnesse of conscience about things already done is fourefold 1. To approve 2. To absolve 3. To mislike 4. To condemne I begin vvith the first the judiciall vvitnesse of conscience about things to be done or omitted vvhere I shall consider first the Office of conscience in this behalf viz. 1. To judge 2. To counsel and then the Adjuncts of conscience in discharging this office 1. Conscience judgeth of the thing to be done vvhether it be good or evil lavvfull or unlavvfull As vve trie the vveight of gold by a pair of balances so conscience trieth all our actions by Gods vvord It is the oracle of God As the Jevvs vvent to Gods oracle to enquire of the Lord so our conscience is Gods oracle to enquire of and to determine of things whether they be good or evil It is a judge in the bosome When the question in Corinth was whether women should be uncovered when they pray the Apostle sendeth them to conscience for judgement Judge in your selves saith he whether it be comely or no that is Put it to the judgement of your own consciences So say the disciples to the Jews Whether it be better to obey God or man judge ye Put it to your own consciences Thus ye see it is the office of conscience to judge of an action to be done whether it be good or bad lawfull or unlawfull 2. The second office of conscience is to counsel for the doing of that which is good and forbearing of that which is evil This is that faithfull friend in our bosome that voyce within us and behind us saying This is the way walk in it Mark the words there ye see these two offices of conscience This is the way there is the judgement of conscience and walk in it there is the counsel of conscience Nay conscience doth not onely give good counsel but if it have leave it will bring arguments to perswade to follow it it will tell us the thing is well-pleasing to God of good report that which will bring peace to our hearts And so on the contrary if it be evil conscience will counsell us to forbear yea bring arguments to disswade O do it not it will tend to the dishonour of God and be offensive to others and wound our souls c. It was conscience that withheld David from killing Saul and prest him from it by a strong argument O he is the Lords Anointed It was conscience that withheld Joseph from yielding to the enticings of his mistresse and yielded him an argument to disswade him from it How shall I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God It was conscience that disswaded Nehemiah from flying Should such a man as I flie And if one argument will not serve conscience will use more The use of this may be first for Instruction Hence we learn that naturall men may have a conscience urging to good and restraining from evil There is no man so evil or ignorant but he hath naturally some light with him by which conscience is set on work to advise and to counsel and to say This is very good do it This is very sinfull forbear it This therefore is no signe of grace in any man to have his conscience calling upon him to do good or disswading him from evil The very heathen had so according to their light yea and in many of them it was forcible to restrain them from many sinnes which they were inclined unto And so may many men be put upon many good duties not for any love or liking of that which is good but because they would please and satisfie conscience which otherwise will not suffer them to be quiet It was conscience that kept Abimelech from defiling Sarah and yet a carnall man Here then a question may be asked Whether a mere naturall man can avoid sinne for conscience sake I
silence 2. A second cause is often slighting of conscience It may be conscience speaketh not or but coldly and remissely because when it hath advised and counselled and admonished thou hast neglected it and disregarded it from time to time Though it judge and counsel yet thou wilt not listen Like Cassandra the prophetesse who though her predictions were true and certain yet were they never believed so though conscience speaketh true yet men follow it not and therefore it becometh silent when it is not regarded but all its counsel and advise and perswasions slighted and neglected Hence I say it cometh to passe that for want of imployment it is still and falleth asleep till the time come that it must be awaked 3. The third cause is that violence that is often offered unto it Many times when conscience perswadeth to any good duty or disswadeth from any evil course men will do against it and withstand it violently and put off the wholesome advise of it hence it cometh to passe that conscience having so many injuries offered unto it beginneth to provide for its own ease and so either it is silent and saith nothing or else is soon answered and rebuked as it was with Moses When Pharaoh would never hearken unto Moses but still fell to excuses and at last to deny all he would not let Israel go notwithstanding all that Moses could urge but said to Moses Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more Moses then answered Thou hast spoken well I will see thy face no more So it is with conscience When men have been obstinate and have refused to heare it and would have it speak no more Thou hast well spoken saith conscience henceforth I will trouble you no more but let you alone to take your course I will advise you no more or if I do I will not be any more importunate 4. A fourth cause is that men do wilfully stop the mouth of conscience If it beginneth to speak presently they busie themselves about other things or if that will not do they runne into companie and there spend their time that the howlings of conscience may not be heard and if still it be loud they strike up the drumme and ring all the bells that the voice of it may be utterly drowned and so conscience at last is content to stand by to heare and see and say nothing By this means many times it falleth out that those who have had very turbulent and clamourous consciences not suffering them to be quiet have at last tamed them and put them quite to silence or if they do speak it is so coldly and remissely that they care not whether they be obeyed or no. Oh these are damnable and devilish devises Whoever ye be that do thus ye are in a dangerous estate and ye carry the brands of hell and damnation upon you If ever you desire to avoid this dangerous estate then shun the cause Labour to have your conscience throughly illightned and informed by the word of God that it may reade you your duty A friend that knoweth but little can give but little counsel Again give heed evermore to the counsel of conscience You know Achitophel took it ill that his counsel was not followed therefore he made away himself in displeasure So conscience will take it very ill if its counsel be not followed it will strangle it self and smother it self you shall heare no more of it Especially take heed you do not reject conscience nor offer violence to it If you do you will make it unfaithfull and remisse and then you lose the best means under heaven of your good Then deadnesse of spirit succeedeth and hardnesse of heart taketh place and you deprive your souls of all possibility of cure As long as a sickman hath any possibility of cure he is still under hope but if ever he lose that he is gone Conscience is the possibilitie of the soul to amendment and therefore if you dull conscience and make conscience remisse and unfaithfull you take the ready way to deprive your selves of all possibility of rising again Consider these things and have a care of your consciences And thus we have handled the office of conscience about things to be done and omitted with its adjuncts affections and properties in that behalf I come now to consider the office of conscience about things already done or omitted together with the affections of conscience in the discharge of that office The office of conscience about things already done or omitted THis hath foure parts 1. To approve 2. To absolve 3. To mislike 4. To condemne according to the good or evil of our actions or omissions The judgement is not onely of the things what they are but whither they tend and what they will produce I. An approving conscience FIrst when that vvhich is done is good conscience approveth it as Paul saith This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience 2. Cor. 1.12 When he had lived uprightly and sincerely his conscience approved of it so when he had great sorrow and heavinesse for his brethren his conscience approved it my conscience bearing me witnesse saith he So at his latter end we may see how his conscience approved the vvhole course of his life I have finished my course I have kept the faith c. there is consciences approbation of him from henceforth saith he is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse there is consciences judgement concerning the issue of it Conscience so approveth every particular good action done by a faithfull man that by it he may gather a testimony of the uprightnesse of his heart as Hezekiah Remember Lord that I have walked uprightly before thee Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren Mark Love to Gods children is a sufficient testimony not onely of our uprightnesse in that particular act but also of the simplicity of our hearts in the generall and that vve are translated from death to life So when good old Simeon had now even finished his dayes see what an approbation his conscience gave of him Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word His conscience here gave a threefold blessed approbation of him 1. That he had been Gods faithfull servant thy servant 2. That he had walked in the wayes of true peace and comfort depart in peace 3. That the promise of Gods word was his in particular according to thy word II. An absolving conscience THe second part of the office of conscience is to absolve and acquit Thus Samuel pleading his innocency had his conscience testifying for him Whose ox have I taken or whom have I defrauded and his conscience absolved him as clear and free from those sinnes Thus also Job If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherlesse when I saw my help in the gate If I rejoyced because my wealth
two latter when we have done ill and lived ill then the office of conscience is to mislike and to condemne Now followeth the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices and they are foure 1. A tender conscience 2. A sleepie conscience 3. A benumbed conscience 4. A seared conscience First a tender conscience that is a conscience touched with the least sinne and checking us for the least sinne as for vain thoughts exorbitant passions idle words and the like Such was Davids conscience which smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment Such was Zaccheus his conscience which troubled him for supposed sinnes If I have wronged any man saith he He did not know but his conscience was so tender that it made him carefull of Ifs. This tender conscience is a singular blessing of God And if we desire to attain unto it we must labour to see the odiousnesse of sinne yea the malignity and exceeding evil there is in the least sinne this will make us tender of it Secondly we must labour to mourn for every sinne though it seem little this also will keep our consciences tender And we have great cause to prize a tender conscience What got the Bethshemites by not being tender in conscience They looked into the Ark and because they durst venture upon it the Lord smote fifty thousand of them at once What got the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath for not being tender in conscience He was stoned to death Conscience should tender the least commandment of God and so be tender of the committing the least sinne This conscience is a great blessing The second affection of conscience is sleepinesse A sleepy conscience is not so quick in smiting us as it ought either it checks not or else with such faintnesse that it worketh not upon us it maketh us never the more watchfull against sinne This we see by many who can commit such sinnes without trouble or disquiet as would bring others on their knees and make them walk heavily long after This sleepy conscience is very dangerous it maketh men as ready to fall into the same sinnes to morrow as to day and next day as to morrow it letteth them see their faults but amendeth none because this is such a conscience as doth not cause men to feel the burden of their sinnes A man can never come to Christ as long as he hath a sleepy conscience because it doth not cause sinne to be burdensome They who have this conscience can sleep for all it and eat and drink and be merry for all it Now a man can never come to Christ that is not burdened with his sinne that he cannot bear it cannot be quiet for it cannot sleep for it then Christ calleth him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you A benumbed conscience that is such a conscience as is in a deep sleep This differs from the former in degree You know there is a lesse sleep and there is a greater sleep There is a lesse sleep when onely the outward senses are bound and there is a sleep when the inward senses are bound too Now a benumbed conscience is a conscience that is in a deep sleep Preach to it it mourneth not cry to it it listeneth not This is a benumbed conscience Nor the greatnesse of sinne nor the wrath of God denounced against it can move it Men can know themselves guilty of such and such sinnes and yet not lay them to heart conscience never telleth them about it Thus the Apostle speaketh of those who knew the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but have pleasure in them that do them Their consciences though informed and in some measure knowing the evil of their courses and the severitie of Gods judgement yet let them go on still and not onely commit the evil themselves but delight to see others as bad as themselves Such are our swearers and drunkards and company-keepers c. This is a very wretched conscience the Lord deliver us from it Fourthly a seared conscience that is such a conscience as speaketh not a jote seared with a hot iron as the Apostles phrase is 1. Tim. 4.2 a senselesse conscience a past-feeling conscience when men can swallow down sinne like drink oathes contempt of God his word and worship mockage of Gods servants hating to be reformed such as sinne without any remorse This kind of conscience is in foure sorts of men 1. In dissolute and profligate persons who like common strumpets have their souls lie open to every sinne that cometh by 2. In obstinate sinners such as like Ahab have sold themselves to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. 3. In scoffers and jeerers who speak evil of them who runne not in the same excesse of riot with themselves and nickname the godly 4. In Apostates and backsliders who speak lies through hypocrisie and have fallen from the profession of the truth All these men have a conscience seared with a red-hot iron This is a great judgement of God greater then this there cannot be No outward judgement that can fall upon us is like unto it not the plague nor shame nor beggery no nor any curse besides hell it self is equall to it By this the onely means under God of repentance is taken away Such may come to repent but it is a thousand to one if ever they do It is like a gravestone lying upon their consciences which keepeth them under untill the day of judgement at which time God will awaken their consciences and then they will be more furious in tormenting then the very devils themselves Ye that are not yet fallen upon this wretched conscience I beseech you take heed that ye never do But ye will ask me How may we avoid it Avoid it alas ye may avoid it if ye be carefull for conscience never seareth it self If ever it be seared it is ye your selves that do fear it Indeed the mind of man may blind its own self and the heart of man may corrupt its own self and the affections of man may defile their own selves but conscience never corrupteth it self never seareth it self But you will say What must I do to avoid this searing of conscience First listen to conscience well that whatever it saith to thee from God thou maist do it This was the course of the Psalmist I will hearken what the Lord God will say in me so some translate it Heare then and listen what the Lord God will say in thee what thy conscience illightened saith in thee and do it Secondly whenever this conscience is quick follow it Nothing more seareth conscience then suffering quicknings to die Blow the coles if they do but smoke As the Apostle saith Quench not the Spirit so quench not conscience I have hitherto shewed you that every
support us in all dangers It maketh us happie nay there is no happines without it It will make us with quietnesse contentednesse of spirit undergo whatever it shall please God to lay upon us How can they want comfort that have this It is a spring of comfort within them This will remain with us when all other comforts will forsake us When friends fail and estate faileth when credit and health and strength and all fail then a good conscience if we have it will speak peace to us yea and it will effect it in us comfort us and fasten comfort upon us Friends may speak words of comfort and peace to us but it may be we are not able to receive it the minister may preach peace but it may be we are not able to take it But a good conscience speaketh peace and effecteth it it doth not onely speak it but it putteth it into our hearts It proppeth us up in all miseries in sicknesses yea in death it self A good conscience then maketh us hold up our heads when all the world shall be confounded A good conscience will bear us out against the King of terrours It is onely a good conscience that can look death in the face and say O death where is thy sting thanks be to God who giveth us victorie through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yea at the day of judgement when the whole world shall be burning before us when the great men of the world who go in silks and scarlet and broidered hair shall fear and shiver as a reed shaken with the wind this will make us with boldnesse undergo the terrour of it This will make us happie in all our distresses When crosses pelt us and sicknesse paineth us and death attatcheth us we are happie men What if we have the tokens of Gods wrath upon our bodies so we have the marks of his love upon our souls What outward calamitie soever happeneth to us yet if we have this good conscience we are happie O then let us laboâ—r to get it by faith and a holy life If we would be safe in the floud-time in the day of Gods wrath we must be busie now about the ark we must provide beforehand for it Nothing but this ark will save us in the deluge of Gods anger It is in vain to trouble our selves about other things Jubal was a merrie man he made pipes and organes Jabal built tents others planted vineyards but Noah provided his ark Many desire comfort in sicknesse in death but they do not provide for it before-hand They look after their sports or businesses in the world but this ark is neglected this good conscience without which all mens labour is vain Be they what they will be in never so much credit and esteem they are yet most miserable when troubles and afflictions come on them as one day they shall and shall not tarrie then all their comforts will forsake them When death looketh them in the face then their hearts die within them How full of pride and haughtinesse soever they were before yet when they come to die if their consciences be awaked they will with Saul fall down to heare the name of death and no spirits be left in them Nay if we want a good conscience when we lie on our deathbeds and desire good people to pray for us Good sir I beseech you let me have the benefit of your prayers to God for me Alas if thou hast not a good conscience all the prayers under heaven will not help thee See Heb. 13.18 Brethren pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience Mark The Apostle telleth them they may pray for him with comfort because he had a good conscience As if he had said If we had not a good conscience it were in vain for you to pray for us If ever God heare the prayers made for us we must have a good conscience Those that have not this good conscience shall never enter into the kingdome of heaven Though they had Moses Daniel and Job to pray for them yet all their prayers could not help them in the time of their distresse The bond of conscience NOw we must look back unto the foure propositions which at the beginning I observed in the text I am upon 1. That there is in every man a conscience 2. That the light which directeth conscience is knowledge 3. That the bond which bindeth conscience is Gods law 4. That the office of conscience is to bear witnesse to accuse or excuse I have in the handling of these a little altered the method and spake of the two first and the last Now followeth the third and that is consciences bond which is Gods law which shew the work of the law written in their hearts c. It is onely the work of Gods law that it beareth witnesse of that it accuseth or excuseth for The law of God is consciences bond Neverthelesse we must here distinguish The bonds of conscience are either primarie and supreme or secondarie and relative 1. The primarie and supreme bond of conscience is onely Gods word and law that onely is the supreme bond of conscience There is one lawgiver who is able to save or to destroy who art thou that judgest another that is There is but one supreme lawgiver to bind the consciences of men and that is God And the reason is given Because it is God onely who is able to save and to destroy As if he had said God onely hath power over life and death either to save a man for ever or destroy a man for ever and to judge a man according to all that he hath done and therefore he onely can make laws to bind the consciences of men 2. Now the secondarie or relative bond of conscience is when others who have authoritie from God bind conscience to this or that I call this a relative bond because it is onely in relation to the authoritie of God For though men cannot challenge any doings or omissions contrarie to their law to be sinnes yet if they have authoritie from God to command any thing then they become beams and parts of Gods law and do by virtue of that bind a mans conscience This relative bond of conscience is twofold First other men may bind our consciences as magistrates and masters and parents who though they cannot bind conscience as they are men yet when they have authoritie from God their commands have Gods seals upon them and do bind I say in relation to Gods law which biddeth us obey them Rom. 13.5 Ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake The Apostle there speaketh of Magistrates and he telleth us that their laws bind our consciences in relation to Gods and therefore we must be subject unto them for conscience sake Thus others may bind our consciences Secondly we our selves may bind our own consciences and that is by vows which we
The Souls Looking-Glasse lively representing its Estate before GOD With a Treatise of CONSCIENCE Wherein the definitions and distinctions thereof are unfolded and severall Cases resolved By that reverend and faithfull Minister of the Word WILLIAM FENNER B.D. Sometimes Fellow of PEMBROKE-HALL in CAMBRIDGE and late Parson of Rochford in Essex ACTS 24.16 I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men CAMBRIDGE Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie For John Rothwell at the Sunne in Pauls church-yard 1643. To the Christian Reader IT was the saying of Solon That there were many good laws made but there wanted one law to make us put all those laws in execution The like may be said concerning the books that are written now adayes There are many good books written but there wanteth one book to make us to put those good books in practice Such a book were worth writing and worth reading And I know no reason but that this book if the Spirit of God write it in our hearts may have this happie effect For it is a book that will teach us how to get into the State of grace and how to get and keep a good Conscience And whosoever readeth a book with a good conscience will make conscience to practice what he readeth For a good conscience is as Aristotle saith of Justice a Synopsis and Epitome of all virtues It is a Panacea to cure all soul-diseases It is a medicine to digest all book-surfetting There are foure sorts of Consciences Some bad and unquiet some bad and quiet some good and unquiet some good and quiet For a conscience to be bad and quiet is the worst temper that can be Better have a bad unquiet then a bad and quiet conscience better have a tormenting Tophet in the soul then a fools Paradise The best frame of Conscience is the good and quiet conscience This is a Paradise upon earth a prâ—gustation and prelibation of heaven a mansion for the Trinitie to dwell in Now this ensuing treatise will teach us how to purchase this precious jewel of a good and quiet conscience A treatise very necessary in these unconscionable dayes wherein most people make no conscience to sinne against conscience and some have sinned so long against conscience as that they have lost all conscience of sinne As S. Augustine saith of the name of a Christian so may I say of conscience Multi conscientiam habent non ad remedium sed ad judicium Many have a conscience for their condemnation and not for their salvatition Conscience it is the house of the soul But this house lieth waste and is much ruinated and decayed in these times wherein never more science but never lesse conscience Conscience it is a private judgement-day before the publick day of judgement And it is an ill presage that most people will never stand upright in the court of heaven because they stand accused and condemned in the court of conscience Conscience is Gods preacher in our bosomes And it is a most certain rule That that man that will not regard the preacher in his bosome will never regard the preacher in the pulpit And the reason why the preacher in the pulpit doth no more good is because the preacher in the bosome is so much despised and neglected And therefore I doubt not but this book these motives considered will be very acceptable to all those that have or desire to have a good and quiet conscience For as S. Bernard most excellently saith Every mans conscience is his book and all books are written to discover and amend the errours of the book of conscience Let those that reade this book of coÌ„science look into the book of their own conscience and amend all the faults of that book by this The reverend Authour of this book was a Minister very conscientious and one that had a great abilitie given him by God to preach unto and work upon the consciences of people to awaken the sleepie conscience to inform the erroneous conscience to settle the doubtfull conscience and to comfort the wounded conscience his sermons were all dipt in conscience And therefore a subject of Conscience must needs be welcome from such a preacher It is true that this birth is Posthumum opus and cometh out after the death of the Authour But I hope it will be the more pleasing to revive the memory of him whose life and labours were deservedly precious in the esteem of Gods people And if conscience though for a while blind dumbe and seared put out of all office will notwithstanding at last be put into office and made to see speak and feel to the utter destruction of an impenitent sinner why may not a discourse of Conscience though long ago preached be suffered to revive and live for the salvation of those that shall have grace to reade it aright especially considering that these sermons were perfected by himself in his life time Much I could say in commendation of this worthie Divine both in regard of his unwearisome pains in preaching consuming his own bodie to save the souls of others as also of his learning and exemplarie pietie but I forbear All that I will say is this They that fully knew him did love and reverence him and if any did disesteem him it was because they did not fully know him He is now a shining starre in the firmameÌ„t of heaven And there are hundreds of people that will blesse God to all eternity for his pains He needeth not our praises but our imitation All that I desire from you that reade this short treatise is this That ye would either get a good conscience by the reading of this book or bring a good conscience to the reading of it Labour to make an addition to the heavenly joyes of this faithfull servant of God by making this book a means to bring thy soul to those heavenly joyes which are at Gods right hand for evermore which are joyes unspeakable and glorious so great that as S. Augustine saith If one drop of the joyes of heaven should fall into hell it would swallow up all the bitternesse of Hell And that God would make you heirs of this joy is the prayer of your soul-friend EDM. C. A Table of the Contents An Enquiry after a mans estate before God Coloss 4.8 WHat a mans estate before God is pag. 1 Ministers are to enquire after the estate of their people 3 Every man is either in an estate of grace or sinne 8 This estate may be known 11 Why every man ought to enquire after his own estate 14 Means whereby a man may come to know what estate he is in 15 Impediments which hinder this knowledge 18 Motives to be diligent in this enquirie 19 2. A treatise of Conscience Rom. 2.15 WHat conscience is 21 I. Proposition There is in every man
a conscience 23 Why the Lord did plant a conscience in every man 25 II. Proposition The light that conscience acts by is knowledge 1. of Gods law 28 The light that conscience acts by is knowledge 2. of our selves 28 The great necessity of knowledge 29 III. Proposition The office of conscience is to bear witnesse accusing or excusing 33 1. Foure properties of this witnesse-bearing It is 1. Supreme 34 2. Impartiall 35 3. Faithfull 36 4. Privie 37 2. The parts of this witnesse-bearing I. It s single witnessing 1. What we have done 38 2. What we intend to do ibid. 3. What is the bent of our hearts ibid. II. It s judiciall bearing witnesse 42 1. About things to be done or omitted Where are considered 1. It s Office 1. To judge 45 2. To counsel 46 2. Its Adjuncts It is either 1. Illightned 51 2. Erroneus 56 3. Doubting 52 4. Scrupulous 58 5. Faithfull 63. or 6. Unfaithfull 69 2. About things alreadie done or omitted and here also 1. It is Office is 1. To approve 77 2. To absolve 78 3. To mislike 79 4. To condemne 80 2. Its Affections It is either 1. Tender 83 2. Sleepie ibid. 3. Benumbed 84 or 4. Seared 85 From all thâ—se proceed two other Adjuncts I. A quiet conscience concerning which is considered 1. What it is 87 2. How that in the godly differeth from that in the wicked 90 3. How to know whether we have it or no 100 Where is handled Whether a child of God may fear death and how farre 105 Whether a wicked man may be desirous to die and in what cases 108 The great benefit of peace of conscience 110 II. An unquiet conscience What it is and the causes of it 114 The degrees of it 117 The difference of it in the Godly and in the wicked 121 How a man may keep peace of conscience 131 How it dependeth upon obedience 135 What manner of obedience that is which peace of conscience dependeth upon 139 What a man must do to be freed from a burdened and troubled conscience 141 As conscience beareth witnesse of our actions so of our persons 146 It can and doth inform every man what estate he is in 147 How it doth this 150 When it doth this 153 Why many neverthelesse are deluded about their estate 157 What a good conscience soundly renewed is 162 What a weak and infirm good conscience is 168 IV. Proposition The bond of conscience is the law of God 175 1. The Primarie and supreme is Gods word 177 Gods law bindeth the consciences of the regenerate 184 2. The Secondarie and relative others or our selves 194 1. Others may bind our conscience as Magistrates Superiours and how farre ibid. 2. We may bind our own consciences by lawfull vows and promises 207 What vows are unlawfull and not binding ibid. Of the vow made to God in baptisme how great it is and how much to be regarded 209 An Enquiry after a mans Estate before God COLOSS. 4.8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he may know your estate and comfort your hearts THE estate of a man before God is the relation that he standeth in unto God as God is the free fountain of all spirituall life and salvation and the determiner of mens everlasting conditions either in heaven or in hell So that when we question about a mans estate we question Whether he be in Christ or not Whether he have true grace yea or no Whether he be one of Gods children or no or whether he be yet no better then a reprobate There be three things to be considered in this definition of every mans estate First it is a relation unto God not as a man is in himself it may be rich it may be poore in the world but I speak here as he is in relation towards God Whether he be rich towards God yea or no. I do not speak as a man is in regard of others it may be he is a father or a sonne a master or a servant a king or a subject but in relation to God Whether Gods sevant or no Gods child or no. Salute Apelles saith Paul and he telleth us in what estate Apelles was in before God namely in an estate of approbation approved in Christ And the same Apostle speaketh on the contrary of the unconverted Gentiles that they were strangers from the life of God Ephes 4 18. Secondly As it is a relation unto God so it is a standing relation That wherein he standeth towards God that is a mans estate before God There is a difference between one that doth sin and one that is in the state of sinne A child of God may sinne but he is not in a state of sinne you cannot call him a wicked man So also there is difference between one that doeth some good actions and one that is in a good estate A carnall man may do some good things but he is not in a good estate The estate of a man is a standing thing it is the relation that he standeth in towards God Thirdly It is the relation that a man standeth in towards God as he is the free fountain of spirituall life and salvation It is not every standing relation towards God For a man may be considered in relation to God as a Creatour and so the heavens and the earth and the very brute beasts stand in relation to God as they are his creatures but they have not this estate that we speak of which is a relation to God as the free giver of spirituall life and salvation He is free he may choose whether he will give it or no. Now this is a mans estate the relation he standeth in unto God Whether the Lord hath given him his saving grace yea or no spirituall life in Christ Jesus yea or no title to heaven and salvation yea or no this is the meaning when we speak of a mans estate It is said of Sodom They were sinners before God that is they were in a bad estate a state of sinne It is said of Zachary and Elisabeth They were both righteous before God that is they were both in a very good state All Christians believe that there is a God It behoveth every one now to consider in what estate he standeth to his God This is a great question that we which are ministers ought to demand of our people to know their estates First because we are shepherds and are bound to look well how it standeth with our flock If we do not labour to know your estates we can never look well to your souls Consider that place in the Proverbs Be diligent to know the state of thy flock and look well to thy herds Where the wise man first requireth that we should look well to our flocks and then directeth us in the manner how viz. by being diligent to know their estate how it standeth with them Secondly we are Gods
made way now to a treatise of conscience which will shew us what estate we are in before God I desire to handle it common-place-wise And first I will tell you in brief what the conscience of every man is I say of every man For Angels and devils have a conscience too ye may see it in the speech of the Angel to John when John would have worshipped him I am thy fellow-servant saith he see thou do it not Mark He had a conscience that could say I am a servant and therefore must not take worship to me So for the devils When our Saviour bade them come forth of the possessed they say Art thou come to torment us before our time See they had a conscience that told them there would be a time when they should be further tormented But I am not to speak of such consciences but of the conscience of man Now the conscience of man is the judgement of man upon himself as he is subject to Gods judgement Divines use to expresse it in this Syllogisme He that truly believeth in Christ shall be saved My conscience telleth me this is Gods word But I believe truly in Christ My conscience telleth me this also Therefore I shall be saved And so also on the contrary side So that conscience is a mans true judgement of himself If we would judge our selves that is If we would bring our selves before the tribunal of conscience to receive its judgement Foure propositions are conteined in that portion of Scripture which I have chosen to make the subject of this ensuing treatise Rom. 2.15 1. That there is in every man a conscience Their consciences bearing them witnesse Every one of them had a conscience bearing them witnesse 2. That the light which conscience is directed to work by is knowledge written in their hearts 3. That the bond that bindeth a mans conscience is Gods law which shew the effect of the law written in their hearts 4. That the office and duty of conscience is to bear witnesse either with our selves or against our selves accusing or excusing our selves or actions bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another I begin with the first Proposition I. There is in every man a conscience THere was a conscience in all these heathen in the text their consciences bearing them witnesse There was a conscience in the Scribes and Pharisees being convicted of their own consciences There is a conscience in good men as in Paul Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience There is a conscience in wicked men their mind and conscience is defiled As it is impossible the fire should be without heat so it is impossible that any man should be without a conscience Indeed we use to say Such an one hath no conscience but our meaning is that he hath no good conscience But every one hath a conscience either good or bad The Lord engraved conscience in man when he created him at first True it is since the fall of man conscience is miserably corrupted but man can never put it off Conscience continueth for ever in every man whether he be in earth or heaven or hell The most base and devilish profanelings in the world have a conscience Let them choke it or smother it as much as they can let them whore it or game it or drink it away as much as they are able for their hearts yet conscience will continue in spite of their teeth 1. No length of time can wear this conscience out What made Josephs brethren to remember the cruel usage they shewed him but conscience It was about tvventy years before yet they could not vvear it out 2. No violence nor force is able to suppresse conscience but that one day or other it will shew it self What made Judas go and carry back the money that he betrayed our Saviour for and also to cry out I have sinned but conscience No question but he laboured to suppresse it but he could not 3. No greatnesse nor power is able to stifle conscience but that it will one day like a band-dog flie in a sinners face What made Pharaoh crie out I am wicked but conscience He vvas a great King and yet he vvas not able to over-povver conscience 4. No musick mirth or jovializing can charm conscience but it vvill play the devil to a vvretched soul for all that What vvas the evil spirit of melancholy that came upon Saul but conscience He thought to allay it with instruments of musick but it still came again 5. Death it self is not able to part conscience from a sinner What is that vvorm that shall never die but onely conscience and in hell conscience is as that fire that never goeth out I confesse some seem to have lost conscience quite They can omit good duties as though they had no conscience at all they can deferre repentance and turning to God as though they had no more conscience then a beast but one day conscience vvill appear and shevv plainly that it vvas present vvith them every moment of their lives and privie to all their thoughts and all their vvayes and set before them all the things that they have done Be men never so secure and senselesse and seared for the present conscience vvill break out either first or last Either here or in hell it vvill appear to every man That he hath and ever had a conscience Novv the reasons vvhy the Lord did plant a conscience in every man living are 1. Because the Lord is a very righteous Judge And as he commandeth earthly judges not to judge vvithout vvitnesse so he himself vvill not judge vvithout vvitnesse and therefore he planteth a conscience in every one to bring in evidence for him or against him at Gods tribunall 2. Because the Lord is very mercifull We are vvonderous forgetfull and mindlesse of God and of our ovvn souls and have need to be quickned up to our duties therefore the Lord hath given every one of us a conscience to be a continuall monitour Sometime vve forget to pray and then conscience putteth us in mind to go to God sometime vve are dull in the duty and conscience is as a prick to quicken us Sometime our passions are distempered and then conscience checketh and commandeth us to bridle them We should never be kept in any order if it vvere not for conscience Therefore hath the Lord in mercy given us a conscience The first use is to condemne that diabolical proverb common among men Conscience is hanged a great while ago No no Achitophel may hang himself but he cannot hang his conscience Saul may kill himself but conscience cannot be killed It is a worm that never dieth As the reasonable soul of man is immortall so conscience also is immortall Secondly this condemneth such as go about to suppresse conscience Their conscience maketh them melancholick and lumpish now and
conscience never stirreth about Secondly the knowledge of our selves is needfull else conscience cannot act neither Though we know what Gods law requireth and what not what is good and what not yet unlesse we know whether we go with it or against it conscience cannot accuse nor excuse As for example A close hypocrite he knoweth well enough that the Lord hath condemned hypocrisie and that hypocrites must have their portion in hell yet if he do not know himself to be an hypocrite his conscience can never condemne him for being one And therefore both these knowledges are necessary as vvell the knovvledge of a mans self as of Gods lavv Many vvho had a hand in crucifying our Saviour sinned grievously yet they sinned not against knovvledge because they knevv not vvhat they did Father forgive them they know not what they do Thirdly It is a contradiction to say a blind conscience in act The conscience cannot be blind and yet actually condemne Indeed the conscience it self may be blind but it can never act and be blind If it truly accuse or excuse it must have some light It is true it may erroneously excuse or accuse and yet have no true light Seeming light is enough to do that seeming knovvledge is enough to make conscience erroneously excuse As they vvho killed the Apostles their consciences excused them and told them they did God good service they seemed to knovv it vvas good service to God and therefore their consciences excused them c. Thus ye see that the light that conscience vvorketh by is knovvledge The use of this point is first to let us see the infinite necessity of knovvledge As good have no conscience at all as conscience vvithout knowledge for it cannot act and perform its office This is the reason vvhy so many thousands go on in their sinnes vvithout repentance because being ignorant they have no conscience to prick them thereunto as Jer. 8.6 No man repenteth him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Why vvhat vvas the reason that conscience did not prick them and say This thou hast done and that Thus ye have rebelled c The text answereth in the next verse My people know not the judgement of the Lord. The stork knoweth her time and the turtle and the swallow but my people do not know their duties Another use is to exhort us that we would labour to perfect the light of conscience that it may be able to guide us and direct us unto heaven Our conscience hath knowledge enough by the light of nature to make us inexcusable and to clear the justice of God though he should damne us for ever but there must be a greater light then that that must guide us to heaven O let us pray to Christ the true light to set up this light in us that we may never be at a losse in our way to happinesse never step out of the right path but our conscience may be able to put us in again never go slowly but our conscience may spurre us on faster that our conscience may not be like the snuff of a candle in a socket that flameth up now and then and then is dark again and again it flameth out and is dark again A man may see his book by it but he cannot see to reade he may see his pen and ink by it but he cannot see to write a woman may see her needle and cloth by it but she cannot see to work so it is with some mens consciences Their light is so dimme that they can see the duties but they cannot see to do them they can see the commandments of God but they cannot see to obey them O labour to perfect the light of your consciences that ye may see to walk by them And thus much also of the second proposition The light that conscience acteth by is knowledge Now I should come to the third proposition which as I first propounded them was this The bond that bindeth conscience is Gods law But I will now a little alter the method and make the other which was propounded last to be the third in the handling and it is this Proposition III. The office of Conscience is to bear witnesse to accuse or excuse COnscience is put into this office by God himself It is Gods officer Not onely his register-book that shall be opened at the day of judgement wherein is set down our thoughts words and deeds but it is a preacher also to tell us our duty both towards God and towards man yea it is a powerfull preacher it exhorteth urgeth provoketh yea the most powerfull preacher that can be it will cause the stoutest and stubbornest heart under heaven to quake now and then it will never let us alone till it have brought us either to God or to the devil Conscience is joyned in commission with Gods own spirit to be an instructour unto us in the way we should walk so that the spirit and it are resisted or obeyed together grieved or delighted together We cannot sinne against conscience but we sinne also against Gods spirit we cannot check our own consciences but we check and quench the holy spirit of God The office of conscience to our selves is to bear witnesse My conscience beareth me witnesse saith Paul Conscience is alwayes ready to do this office if it shall at any time be invited unto it For conscience looketh sometimes for inviting sometimes it will not bear witnesse unlesse we invite it and call upon it so to do But there will come a time when it will do it and must do it and shall do it namely at death or at judgement then it will bear witnesse whether men invite it or no. Now it may be suppressed and silenced and kept under from witnessing but then it must bear witnesse and shall either excusing or accusing acquitting or condemning when God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts as the Apostle speaketh The properties that are given unto conscience in the discharge of its office are foure 1. It is supreme 2. It is impartiall 3. It is faithfull 4. It is privie 1. It is supreme It hath highest authoritie it is the most uncontrollable and ablest witnesse that can be the greatest weightiest witnesse in the world better then ten thousand witnesses Though all the world do condemne us yet if our own consciences do not we need not fear And so on the contrary if conscience do condemne us it will be small comfort though all the world flatter and commend and excuse us It is a supreme witnesse Though all the Angels in heaven should come and bear witnesse their witnesse is not so uncontrollable as conscience is There is no appealing from the witnesse of conscience we must â—e tried by it If conscience do accâ—se and condemne us the Lord onely is greater then our conscience 1. John 3.20 and will give judgement with it when it doth its office And if our conscience
will conscience bring forth and testifie what they were Heare the Apostle in that day God shall judge the secrets of men c. The most hidden things conscience shall bring to light and Christ shall judge them 3. Conscience beareth witnesse of the bent and frame of our hearts what we affect most and love most and rejoyce and delight in most and desire most and grieve for most what our affections runne upon most whether upon God or the world whether upon heaven or the things of this life Conscience bare witnesse to David that his delight was in the law of the Lord that God was his portion that Gods statutes were his counsellours Conscience bare witnesse to the false teachers in Christs time that they affected vain glory and the praise of men more then the praise of God Conscience bare witnesse to Demas that notwithstanding his fair profession his heart was set upon the world Conscience bare witnesse to Jehu that for all his seeming zeal his heart was not upright But it may be objected How can this be The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it Who can know it That is Who else can know it but a man himself None under God can know the heart of man but a mans own conscience the spirit of man that is in him I confesse a man may be ignorant of some secret and particular deceit in his heart but who knoweth not the generall standing of his own heart or may know the chief bent of his own soul David in a particular deceit was ignorant I said in my prosperitie I shall never be moved never distrust God more never be disquieted in my mind more He was deceived in that particular but he knew very well the generall and chief bent of his heart that it was truly set upon God and upon holinesse 2. It is true many men take it that their hearts are set upon God when they are not but what is the reason Not because they do not or may not know the contrary that they love the world most but because they will not know it they are unwilling to believe it they are loth to have any bad conceit of themselves So that when Jeremy saith The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it his meaning is What carnall man can abide to know the worst of himself 3. It is not because they know it not but because they will not heare the testimony of conscience but when it telleth them truly how the case is with them they gather all the rotten and broken pieces of arguments together to stop the mouth of conscience and to perswade themselves to think well of themselves 4. Men seem not to know their own hearts not because they do not know what they are but because they are ignorant of Gods law whereby they should judge of themselves They know their hearts are set on the world and that the bent and frame of their affections are placed on earthly things but they hope an under-affection to God will be accepted to love God in the second place will serve the turn They know they are carnall but they hope such carnality may be in a man and yet he be right Yea but a mans heart may say on the contrary side that he loveth the world more then he loveth God when he doth not how then doth conscience bear right witnesse I answer This ariseth either from the strength of corruption and weaknesse of grace We look into our selves and see our corruptions violent and our love to God small and so we are deceived not seeing the radicall power of this love of God which in regard of its virtue is stronger then the other As a fool if he should feel hot water would conclude that there is no cold at all in it whereas there is radicall cold in that water such as will expell all that heat in a little space Or else this ariseth from anguish of spirit which so disturbeth the mind that it cannot see its own condition nor be capable of the comforts belonging unto it as it was with the Israelites Exod. 6.9 otherwise doubtlesse we may know our own hearts and when our conscience beareth witnesse its witnesse is right I. Use of reproof to those who stand out against the witnesse of their conscience and like hard-hearted felons plead still Not guiltie though never so much evidence come against them though conscience oft tell them this they have done thus they do such they are Oh stop not your eares against conscience stand not out against it but believe its testimony and make use of it to repent of the evil it accuseth of while mercy may be had before God himself cometh and joyneth with conscience to condemne for ever II. It serveth for singular encouragement to all to abound in good works Conscience will bear witnesse of them all to our unspeakable comfort in the time of afflictions yea at death and judgement Job felt it a sweet thing to have conscience give in testimony of his integrity and uprightnesse When his friends proved miserable comforters and God himself seemed to write bitter things against him yet his conscience witnessed that he had been eyes to the blind and feet to the lame he had fed the hungry and clothed the naked and comforted the fatheâ—lesse There is not a good thing that ever we do but conscience will afford us the sweetnesse and comfort of it in our toubles Remember O Lord saith Hezekiah that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart We have spoken of consciences single bearing witnesse Now followeth its judiciall bearing witnesse which is when it passeth sentence upon on the morall of our actions whether they be good or evil whether blessed or cursed This is performed by a Logicall discourse by way of reasoning on this manner The word saith Whoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie in his heart That is the synteresis Now the assumption But I have had wanton eyes and lustfull lookings after a woman That is the single bearing witnesse of conscience Therefore I have committed adultery in my heart That is the judiciary sentence of conscience which it passeth on a mans self So again Whosoever crucifieth the flesh with the affections and lusts he is in Christ But saith conscience I crucifie the flesh with its affections and lusts Therefore I am in Christ Though there be not the form of this discourse in our consciences yet there is the force of it for when conscience doth judicially witnesse against any man or for any man it doth it by the word and proceedeth in the way which is propounded The use of this is First for comfort to the godly who may hence gather the assurance of their salvation from the rule of Gods word and the witnesse of their conscience that they walk by this rule The word
to take it knoweth not which is the sinne and which not If it goes this way to work It may be I shall sinne saith conscience if that way It may be I shall sinne too saith conscience Such a man sinneth which way soever he taketh The reason is this because he doubteth He that doubteth is condemned if he eat saith the Apostle for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Suppose a man doubteth whether it be lawfull for him to do such a thing and doubteth also whether he may lawfully omit the doing it in such a case whether he do it or not do it he sinneth because both wayes he doubteth Yet here these rules are very usefull 1. Rule When conscience doubteth on the one part and is resolved on the other we must refuse the doubting part and take that wherein we are certain and sure As for example When one doubteth of the lawfulnesse of playing at cards and dice he is sure it is no sinne not to play but whether he may lawfully play he doubteth in this case he is bound not to play So when one doubteth whether it be a sinne not to call his family together every day to prayer Gods ministers tell him he must or he sinneth I doubt of that saith he Do you so but you are sure it is no sinne to do it Therefore you are bound to do it because you are bound to decline the doubtfull part and take that which is certain And so of all other the like particulars 2. When conscience doubteth on both sides which is the sinne and which not then a man ought to do that which is most void of offense As for example Say an Anabaptist amongst us doubteth whether it be a sinne in him to bring his child to church to be baptized or a sinne to refuse here is rule is That that which is most void of offense and most agreeable to brotherly unity and concord is to be taken the balance hanging otherwise even and the arguments to urge both the one or the other seeming of like weight then this must be put into the scale and resolve the doubt 3. It is lawfull to do some things when yet our conscience doubteth of the lawfulnesse of them For we must consider there are two kinds of doubting there is a speculative doubting and there is a practicall doubting Speculative doubting is to doubt of the lawfulnesse of the thing it self to be done Practicall doubting is to doubt of the lawfulnesse of the doing of it Now this latter is not alwayes a sinne but the other is As for example If a servant be commanded of his master to attend on him on the Lords day he knoweth not what his businesse should be and perhaps doubteth it is not of such moment as to be done on that day yet he hath no reason to deny his attendance in this case though he doubt of the lawfulnesse of the thing done yet he need not doubt of the doing of it because he knoweth not what the businesse is and hath no reason whereby he is able to justifie his refusall And so much also of a doubting conscience IV. A scrupulous conscience THe difference between a doubting conscience and a scrupulous conscience is this A doubtfull conscience hangeth in suspense and doubteth which is the sinne and which is lawfull but a scrupulous conscience inclineth to the lawfulnesse of the thing to be done but yet not without many doubts and scruples because of some difficulties which it hath heard of and which it knoweth not how to answer or resolve The rule which here we must go by is this When we incline to the lawfulnesse of the thing we should labour to suppresse all difficulties and ambiguities which cause us to doubt The Apostle includeth this rule in that word fully Let every man be fully perswaded in his heart Get all difficulties removed all stumblings and stickings and hoverings and scruples taken away But how if that cannot be done hovv if vve cannot get all scruples removed If that cannot be done then it is lavvfull to follovv conscience notvvithstanding the doubts and scruples of it Observe that place vvell Deut. 13.1 c. the Lord commandeth if a false prophet should come amongst them to dravv them from the truth and should shevv a signe or miracle to confirm his doctrine and the signe should come to passe vvhich might put doubts and scruples into their consciences neverthelesse conscience inclining to the truth they are bound to stand to that for these doubts and scruples do not argue a vvant of faith but onely a vveaknesse of it I. This shevveth vvhat need vve have to labour to have our consciences rightly informed It is a comfortable thing for a Christian to have his conscience so fully illightened as that he can vvithout doubting or scruple discharge the duties both of his generall and particular calling And it is a great disturbance to a Christians mind vvhen his conscience is so vveak and ignorant that he cannot perform his duties vvithout doubts and scruples vvhether he is right or no especially in matters of greatest moment It is a great misery to have our consciences blind vvhich should be our guides and vvhich it is a sinne to disobey This is the reason vvhy S. Paul doth so often speak I would not have you ignorant 1. Cor. 10.1 and 11.3 It is a very great misery that ones conscience should be ignorant vvhat to do vvhat to hold vvhat to follovv I say it is a lamentable miserie that many vvho have follovved the directions of conscience should by it be led to death and damnation to do things contrary to Gods vvord What a misery vvas it for the Jevvs to have zeal and not according to knovvledge c. II. This should teach us to use the means truly to inform conscience Without knowledge the heart is not good that is it is most profane There be three means to get knovvledge 1. Let us pray unto God that he vvould open our understandings that as he hath given us consciences to guide us so also he vvould give our guides eyes that they may be able to direct us aright The truth is it is God onely that can soundly illighten our consciences and therefore let us pray â—nto him to do it All our studying and reading and hearing and conferring will never be able to do it it is onely in the power of him who made us to do it Thy hands have made and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments He who made our consciences he onely can give them this heavenly light of true knowledge and right understanding and therefore let us seek earnestly to him for it 2. We must seek it in humilitie alwayes suspecting our own knowledge We are not too confidently and presumptuously to trust to our own judgement and despise or neglect the judgement of others The
upon heaven Phil. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds This doth the peace and quiet of a good conscience but the quiet of a wicked mans conscience doth not do thus it keepeth not his mind in this manner but it is upon earthly things for all that IV. They differ in respect of duration and continuance The quiet of a good conscience is settled and grounded in the godly it never faileth them nor forsaketh them the other peace is fading Let a feeling sermon come and rifle carnall men it taketh away their peace from them their consciences then flie in their faces and then they see they are not right Let losse of outward things come aâ—â— light upon them or any other affliction it taketh their peace from them conscience then breaketh out upon them and sheweth them how they have deceived themselves with false peace especially at their death then an evil conscience that hath been quiet before in stead of comforting will affright and amaze them But if we have the quiet of a good conscience it will make us heare the word with comfort and not be troubled and disquieted by a searching sermon or the threatnings of Gods judgements Nay if we be in trouble this will quiet us if in affliction this will comfort us It will endure all our life and be present at our death then especially it will shew it self a friend unto us in standing by us to chear and refresh us Great peace have they which love thy law nothing shall offend them saith David nothing shall offend them or take away their peace it is an eternall and everlasting peace Thus you have seen how the true and false peace of conscience differ But here cometh a question to be answered it is this Have all Gods children this peace of conscience I dare say some of you look for this question and long to have it answered I answer therefore No they have it not alwayes Job seemed one while not to have it I have sinned saith his conscience what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men David seemed one while not to have it Mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavie burden they are too heavie for me Psal 38.4 His sinnes lay heavie upon his conscience for a fit Hezekiah one while seemed not to have it Behold for peace I had great bitternesse And therefore I say the children of God have it not alwayes But let me tell you They might have it alwayes 1. It is possible they should have it alwayes Their sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie do not break the peace of their consciences cannot for if they could then no man should have true peace of conscience at any time Nothing but willing and witting sinnes sinnes against conscience can break the peace of conscience and as it is possible for the children of God to live without these so it is possible for them alwayes to have peace yea they may have daily more and more peace 2. As it is possible for the children of God alwayes to have peace so they are commanded to keep their peace alwayes and it is their own fault if at any time they lose it Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace saith Eliphas So Let the peace of God rule in your hearts unto which ye are called We are not onely commanded to have peace in our hearts but also that it may rule there that no corruption perk over it to hinder it we are called to this peace and commanded to have it and therefore as it is a sinne in the common-wealth when one breaketh the peace so it is a sinne in the spirit to break the peace of conscience we are all bound to the peace 3. If the children of God have it not alwayes then they feel the want of it and in the want of that comfort nothing else will comfort them It is not all the peace and prosperitie of the world that can comfort their hearts as long as they have not this peace not all the mirth in the world can content them untill they enjoy this peace again the peace and quiet of a good conscience they faint for it and long after it they can have no strength without it The Lord will give strength unto his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace It is not so with corrupt hearts they can be without peace and yet never faint they can eat and drink for all that and sleep and be merry for all that yea and go about their profits and their earthly businesses as roundly as ever for all that But the children of God if they want the peace of conscience they have no strength to do any thing almost they faint till they have it again 4. The godly alwayes have the seeds of it in them Lâ—ght is sown for the rightâ—ous and gladnesse for the upright in heart Mark it is sown in their hearts and it will spring up at one time or other to chear them and to comfort them As it is with the wicked they may seem now and then to have true peace but they have the seeds of horrour alwayes in them which will sprout forth at last and then they shall find the worm of an evil conscience again so on the contrarie side the godly may seem now and then to have no peace but yet they have alwayes the seeds of true peace in them which will in time shew themselves and solace their souls for ever 5. They never want peace as the wicked do want it The wicked want it and have no possibility of having it they go in such paths as wherein they shall never know peace such paths as will never lead them unto it still their conscience is able to say they are not right they are carnall and not spirituall they know no true peace of conscience neither can they But the children of God walk in such wayes as will bring them to true peace of conscience ere they have done By this ye see what a good and quiet conscience is It cannot be but that all must like it and wish O that we had it Beloved let us labour to get it and the assurance of it No blessing under heaven is like it It is a heaven upon earth Happie are they who can shew they have it and miserable are they who have it not Dulce nomen pacis Sweet and pleasant is the very name of peace especially of the peace of a good conscience If ye have it no misery can make you miserable and if ye have it not no happinesse can make you happie It is Christs legacy which he bequeathed to his Church Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you It is glorious and honourable Beest thou never so mean in the world thou art glorious if thou hast this peace beest thou never so despised and disgraced among
men thou hast honour enough if thou hast this peace Rom. 2.10 To every one that doth good glory and honour and peace Mark how it is accompanied namely with glory and honour But shame and confusion and dishonour is upon all them that have it not III. Examination Whether we have a quiet conscience COncerning a quiet conscience I propounded three things 1. What it is 2. How it differeth from that quiet conscience that is in the wicked 3. The examination whether we have this quiet conscience yea or no. The two former we have handled already namely What a quiet conscience is and How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked Let us passe on now unto the third namely to an examination of our selves whether we have a true quiet conscience yea or no. A quiet good conscience is such a marvellous blessing that it cannot possibly be but we must like it and wish O that we had it Let us then examine our selves and see whether we have it or no. Many have peace and quietnesse as hath been shewed alreadie arising from false grounds they have peace of conscience because they know not what belongeth to trouble of conscience or if they know that a little as some of the wicked do yet they do not consider that sorrow which one â—â—y will burst in upon them and sink them uttâ—rly Let us trie then our peace by these notes I. Iâ— the quiet of our consciences be good it is such as we have carefully sought for at the mercies of God in the bloud of Jesus Christ when being pinched with the burden of our sinnes we did fly to the promises of God to seek comfort to the bloud of Christ to find ease and to get assurance of Gods favour If our peace come not this way it is naught and we were better to be without it then have it It may be we speak peace to our selves but doth the Lord speak peace to our consciences I will heare what the Lord will speak for he shall speak peace to his people and to his saints but let them not turn again to folly for that will break all their peace O go to God then and heare whether he speaketh peace to your consciences whether it be God in Christ reeonciling the world to himself that speaketh it to you It is not true peace without we have sought for it at the throne of grace without it be peace of Gods making Now the Lord speaketh peace to his people who come to him for peace three wayes 1. He speaketh peace to them by his word This speaking is thus When the word promiseth peace to those who walk by such a rule and they walk by that rule then Gods word speaketh peace to their souls The rule is set down Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature and then followeth As many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them 2. God speaketh peace to his people in their consciences This speaking is thus When the conscience can say I am in Christ I am engraffed into Christ then the Lord speaketh peace by the conscience peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus so also when the conscience can say I hunger after righteousnesse I truly mourn for sinne I desire in all my wayes to please God Thirdly God speaketh peace by his Spirit This speaking is thus When the word hath spoken peace by the promise and when the conscience speaketh I am thus and thus qualified and therefore I have peace then the Spirit of God cometh in and witnesseth Yea you say right peace belongeth unto you indeed and I say Amen to it When the Spirit of God doth say thus then the Lord speaketh peace to the soul The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace Peace is the fruit of the Spirit it speaketh it to the soul breedeth it in the soul Now beloved examine your selves Is your peace of this stamp do ye seek it of God and get it in the bloud of Christ Jesus do ye get it by the word and by your truespeaking conscience and by the holy Spirit of God If ye get it on this wise then it is true peace of conscience indeed If ye get it by your own vain hopes and by your good meanings c. this peace will not hold alwayes when your consciences come to be awaked your peace will all vanish away and be no more This is the first note to try and examine your selves by II. If our quiet and peace of conscience be good it is accompanied with such a life as is agreeable to the will of God it avoideth sinne as the thing that disturbeth the peace How can any man have true peace of conscience when his life doth not please God but provoketh his wrath against him It cannot be that he should have true peace who in his heart doth regard sinne There is no peace to the wicked saith my God No whereever true peace of conscience doth inhabit it dwelleth with godlinesse of life and unblamablenesse of conversation as the Apostle Peter joyneth them together 2. Pet. 3.14 Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Mark the words In peace without spot and blamelesse If ever we would be found in true peace we must live without spot and blamelesse A wicked mans conscience may seem to have peace and tell him he hath served God This day I have paid my vowes saith the conscience of the whore but this is a rotten and deceitfull peace True peace of conscience is ever accompanied with such a kind of life as is agreeable to the will of God in his word III. If our peace be good it will make us endure to heare any point in Gods word with joy and delight A wicked heart can heare points of mercie and comfort with joy so long his peace lasteth Every man that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved If we confesse our sinnes God is just to forgive us our sinnes If any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Whoever shall confesse that Jesus is the Sonne of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Such points as these a wicked heart can reade with delight though if they were truly opened and expounded they would yield him cold comfort yet he can heare them with delight in the lump But if a searching point or some terrible point cometh he is afraid to heare that Ahab had a quiet conscience but onely when Michaiah did preach Felix had a quiet conscience no doubt yet he trembled to heare Paul preach of death and of judgement Acts 24.25 One would have thought that Paul a prisoner should rather have been afraid but Paul had true peace of conscience and therefore he could think and speak of death with
certainly hell cannot be worse Hell is infinitely worse but he may not think so Thus Judas was desirous to die when he went and hanged himself Thus many in despair do make away themselves I confesse some in despair may be fearfull to die as Cain was fearfull to die it was fear of death made him speak thus unto God It shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me Gen. 4.14 The reason was because though he were in despair yet he was not so sensible of his horrour as Judas was for Cain could go and build for all this and train up his children in musick and the like for all this but Judas was in a case more sensible of his misery 2. Dolour of pain may make a wicked man desire to die Thus it was with Saul Saul had received his deaths wound and was in most grievous pain he could not die presently neither could he live but lying in very great pain between both desired the Amalekite to stand upon him and slay him 2. Sam. 10.9 though Osiander think the Amalekite lyed unto David to curry favour with him but Josephus and others think he spake the truth Sure it is that many wicked wretches having no peace of conscience to sweeten and allay their torments have been desirous to die nay some have hastened their own death 3. Malecontentednesse shame and disappointment of their aims may also make wicked men desirous to die and if death come not soon enough of it self to dispatch away themselves with cruel self-murder Thus it was with Achitophel when he saw his counsel was not followed he haltered himself He had no peace of conscience to comfort him against all his dumps and discontents and therefore he was desirous to die 4. Wicked men being vexed at something for the present may seem to be desirous to die and yet if death should come indeed they would be of another mind and be content death should be further off Nay Jonas that strange man of a good man O for a fit he would be dying yea that he would Lord take my life from me for it is better for me to die then to live I suppose if God had taken him at his word he could have wished his words had been in again But thus it is often in the mouthes of wicked people I would I were dead and I would I were out of the world not for any peace of conscience they have nor for any desire of death but onely for a momentany pang If they were to die indeed they would be loth enough to it Like the man in the Fable who being wearied with his burden of sticks lay down and called for Death but when Death came indeed to take him and said What shall I do man thou calledst me I pray thee said he help me up with my burden of sticks When he was to die indeed then he would rather have his own wearisome burden It is but a fable but this is the fashion of many 5. When wicked men are desirous to die indeed sometimes not out of discontent or any such like reason yet it cannot be out of any true peace of conscience They may go away like lambs as we say but it is in a fools paradise It may be whilest they lived they thought to go to heaven but when they dy then all their thoughts perish as the Psalmist speaketh in another case To return therefore where we left O beloved is there any of you that want the peace of a good conscience and do ye know what you want what a great benefit and blessing That ye may see this and fully know it and by knowing it earnestly desire it consider First that it is the very head of all comforts A worthy Divine calleth it Abrahams bosome to the soul Ye know what a blessing it was unto Lazarus to be taken from his fores into Abrahams bosome The peace of a good conscience is like this bosome of Abraham Who would not gladly lie in it Such a man who hath it can never look upon another mans comfort but a good conscience will say Yea and I have my comfort too When Paul was commending of Timothie see how his own conscience spake of himself at the same time He worketh the work of the Lord as I also do Mark his conscience would be putting in comfort for himself Doth Timothie work the Lords work yea and so do I too saith his conscience It is Musculus his observation upon the place Secondly A quiet conscience maketh a man to tast the sweetnesse of things heavenly and spirituall It maketh the word to be to him as to David Sweeter then hony yea then the hony-combe I have not departed from thy judgements O Lord saith he thus saith his conscience now what followeth next How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter then hony unto my mouth A good conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in prayer when his conscience telleth him he prayeth aright It maketh him tast sweetnesse in a Sabbath when his conscience telleth him he sanctifieth it aright so also in the sacrament when his conscience can witnesse he receiveth aright What is the reason so few of you tast sweetnesse in these things The reason is this Because ye have not the peace of a good conscience It would find sweetnesse in every good dutie in every good word and work Thirdly A good quiet conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in all outward things in meat in drink in sleep in the company of friends it putteth a Better upon a very morsel Prov. 17.1 Brown bread and a good conscience there is a Better upon it then upon all the costly fare of the wealthie without it Bernard calleth a good conscience a soft pillow Another calleth it a dear bosome friend Solomon calleth it a continuall feast It maketh a man tast sweetnesse in every outward thing The healthy man onely can take pleasure in recreations walks meats sports and the like they yield no comfort to those that are bedrid or sick or half-dead But when the conscience is at peace the soul is all in good health and so all things are enjoyed with sweetnesse and comfort Fourthly It sweetneth evils to a man as troubles crosses sorrows afflictions If a man have true peace in his conscience it comforteth him in them all When things abroad do disquiet us how comfortable is it to have something at home to chear us so when troubles and afflictions without turmoil and vex us and adde sorrow to sorrow then to have peace within the peace of conscience to allay all and quiet all what a happinesse is this When sicknesse and death cometh what will a good conscience be worth then Sure more then all the world besides If one had all the world he would then give it for a peaceable conscience Nay what think ye of judgement and the tribunal of Christ Do but think what a good
presence of God vers 8. 3. With the fear of some vengeance which they began to look for I was afraid saith Adam verse 10. This three-stringed whip ye may see also was upon the conscience of Cain after he had slain his brother His conscience was whipt 1. With the guilt of sinne My sinne is greater then can be forgiven 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath From thy face O Lord am I hid 3. With the expectation of death and of judgement It shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me Thus I have shewed you what a troubled conscience is The degrees of a troubled conscience II. THe next thing I promised to shew is the degrees of a troubled conscience A troubled conscience hath divers degrees For some consciences are more troubled then other some 1. The first degree is such a degree as may be in Gods children and this ariseth not so much from the apprehension of Gods wrath as from the guilt of sinne Their consciences grieve and are troubled to think that they have sinned and offended the Lord God Thus we see David could not be at quiet Although Nathan had told him from God that his sinne was forgiven yet his conscience still troubled him Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight saith he I grant the consciences of Gods children are troubled at the apprehension of Gods anger but then it is his fatherly anger not the anger of an enemy Though for a fit they may seem to apprehend thâ—â— too yet mostly it is for that they have provoked their loving Father to anger against them A father may be angry with his child out of love and so the Lord may be with his dear children The Lord was angry with me too saith Moses Deut. 1.37 O let not my Lord be angry saith Abraham the father of the faithfull O God of hosts how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth saith the Psalmist Sometimes the Lord is angry with the prayers of his people but it is in love because he would have them pray better and obey better and look to their standing better Now the consciences of Gods people are very much troubled when the Lord is thus angry with them 2. The second degree of trouble of conscience is such as is in the wicked and yet not altogether without hope The conscience is troubled but yet so as it conceiveth hope God is mercifull and Christ died for poore sinners c. Thus many a wicked man is troubled and affrighted in conscience nor for sinne but for the wrath of God against it yet he conceiveth for the present that the sinne is pardonable and may be forgiven Christ may forgive God may pardon It is indeed but a poore ground of hope and comfort upon possibilities but yet this lightneth the trouble in the mean time and it may be within a while shaketh it quite off Like the wicked Jews Isa 57.10 who were worried and wearied most grievously yet they said not There is no hope There may be much horrour and disquiet in these consciences for a time but therâ— is a higher degree yet a worse troubled conscience 〈◊〉 this 3. The third degree of a troubled conscience is when it is for the present altogether hopelesse such a conscience as is swallowed up in despair when men thinking of their manifold sinnes of the direfull wrath of God of the dreadfull torments of hell for ever their consciences make them despair of all hope or possibilitie of avoiding this bringing such thoughts as these What a deal of time have I spent in sinne wherein I might have made my peace with God and have prevented all this What a great and omnipotent God have I offended What an infinite Judge have I provoked who is able to revenge himself on me and who will be my foe to eternitie conscience also bringing in thoughts of the torments and unsufferable pains to be endured in hell and such swallow up in despair without all hope for the present or the future Like the wicked man which Eliphaz speaketh of He believeth not that he shall return out of darknesse Job 15.22 So these have no hope of escaping expect to perish as Spira O saith he I envy Cain and Judas I would I were in their cases They are damned but I shall be worse for evermore Now though to these all hopes be gone for the present yet some of these troubled consciences scramble up again with vain hopes and some do not Cain got up again it should seem but Judas did not Those that never get up again either 1. they live in intolerable horrour and vexation of spirit as if they had a devil in them to put them to anguish and often being weary of their lives do make away themselves and so leap quick into hell or else 2. they runne desperately into all abominable courses Their consciences telling them there is nothing to be expected but damnation they give themselves desperately to commit sinne with greedinesse saying with them in Jeremie There is no hope therefore we will walk after our own devises Jer. 18.12 Or else 3. they grow senselesse of it They see they are wrong but they are not sensible of it It may be they pray and reade and heare but their consciences secretly whisper All is to no purpose Conscience eateth and eateth like a worm and they pine away in their iniquities as the prophet speaketh A kind of sorrow they have but they cannot mourn a kind of sad dolour but they cannot weep Ye shall not mone nor weep but pine away in your sinnes saith the text I confesse there be more presumers in the world who promise themselves that all shall be well with them but yet there be despairers too and very many whose consciences are troubled with secret despair though it may be not apparently to others Now the causes of these despairing consciences are these 1. The greatnesse of sinne when the heart thinketh secretly thus Certainly the Lord cannot find in his heart to forgive me As it was with Cain When he had lived in earthly-mindednesse and then in formality and then in discontent and in hatred and then in hardnesse of heart the Lord rebuked him and yet his heart was so hard that still he went on in evil then he murdered his brother and lastly he despaireth My sinnes are greater saith his conscience then can be forgiven He thought God could not find in his heart to forgive him So when men sinne and sinne and the Lord doth rebuke them and yet they do sinne and their consciences do check them and yet they go on at last they come to have secret despairs in their heart that God now will not look towards them whereas if yet they had a mind to stoop to Jesus Christ they might be forgiven 2. A second cause of despairing is multitude of temptations Indeed the godly
departed out of your bodies This is unavoydable to all that live and continue in sinne Though for a while ye live in mirth and pleasure and securitie and conscience letteth you alone though like Nabal to day ye feast and make merry yet there is a conscience within you an Abigail which to morrow will tell you of it and then your hearts will die within you and be like stones as cold and as heavie as a stone within you As Samuel met with Saul Because thou hast forsaken the Lord the Lord also hath forsaken thee so conscience will find you out However for a while ye slight and neglect it or else perhaps suppresse it yet it will find you out as Eliah did Ahab and then ye will say as he did Hast thou found me O mine enemy yea I have found thee Thou hast sold thy self to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thou hast been a profane beast thou hast runne against heaven and against God and Christ and thy life hath been full of rebellions c. now I have found thee out The day will come when thy conscience shall be like Jobs messenger Ye know what news the messengers brought Job first news of one great evil and then of another greater and then of a third worst of all cattel and goods taken away servants dead sonnes and daughters dead I onely am left alive to tell thee So I say the time will come when conscience shall thus report Thy pleasures are dead thy profits are dead thy comforts are dead thy heart is dead thy soul is cursed and must die for ever and I onely am left alive to tell thee And then he shall crie out Cursed was I that ever I was born and cursed be the womb that bare me and the paps that gave me suck Then shalt thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy bodie are consumed and thy conscience shall say How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof I have not obeyed the voyce of my teachers nor enclined mine ears to them that instructed me Such dolefull messages conscience will bring in one day and then it shall hisse like a snake in thy bosome Know now that for all these things thou shalt come to judgement And so thy conscience shall bray thee like a fool in a mortar as it were with a pestill and it shall pounce thee and beat thee and distresse thee for evermore This is the moth that getteth into the cloth and doth eat it When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquitie thou makest his beautie to consume away like as when a moth fretteth a garment This will make thy face gather blacknesse and thy spirit be overwhelmed for evermore I must adde another use yet For all this is the law and untill ye be in Christ ye are all under the law the curse of it the rigour of it And we are bound to tell you how ye shall find it if ye do not submit to the righteousnesse of Christ But though we do preach the law yet we do preach it in the hand of a mediatour saith Paul Gal. 3.19 a terrible killing law but yet in a mercifull hand in the hand of a mediatour to drive us to seek for mercie and therefore The third use shall be to call upon you to be humbled and to see that there is no living for you in your sinnes Go and stoop to Christ Jesus who onely can purge your guiltle consciences by his bloud I beseech you consider ye who yet abide in your sinfull estates and are yet in the flesh I beseech you consider what the event will one day be If ye will not look out your consciences will find you out at the last and then wo be to you Your consciences will make all things grievous and bitter to you even those things which in themselves are most sweet and good When ye heare of heaven of mercie of the bloud of Christ these will but encrease your miserie conscience will say You have no part in them When you heare the word any promise or comfortable passage in it your conscience will say Yea this is my miserie I have no share in these things This will be a hell unto you and will torment you before your time This will also make all outward good things bitter unto you When you see wife and children and friends then conscience will whisper and say I shall not have these long ere long I shall have none but damned companie When you see your goods estates and the like conscience will mutter Alas ere long I shall be in a place where a drop of water shall not be afforded me to cool my tongue When you see the light and other comfortable objects O wo is me I shall shortly be in a place where I shall see nothing but darknesse utter and everlasting darknesse Conscience will make your afflictions intolerable your sicknesse intolerable your death-bed intolerable the face of death intolerable I beseech you brethren consider these things you that have not felt a troubled conscience untill this houre Ye hardly know yet what it is ye will know it to your sorrow if you do not consider it There is a phrase in Ezek. 30.24 where God saith he will make Pharaoh grone with the gronings of a man deadly wounded So it will be with you if you will not hearken and submit to Jesus Christ conscience will make you grone with fearfull grones O wo is me I am undone without hope without remedie Consider this therefore and be wise before the things which concern your peace be hidden from you And let me the rather exhort you to this in regard of the danger of the times The Lords wrath is gone out and his judgements do flie through the earth and his plagues do fall on every side of us What will your guiltie consciences do now oh you can never endure them Ye had need of purged consciences now lest ye be quite comfortlesse in the day of visitation How miserable is their case who want the peace of conscience in the time of distresse When troubles and afflictions are without then how grievous is it to want peace and comfort within When Gods mortall arrows are in your bodies then to have the arrow of his wrath sticking in your souls this will adde sorrow to sorrow and make your estate much more uncomfortable and unsupportable Beloved peace of conscience is good at all times but it is most precious when calamities fall on us Then to have the peace of a good conscience that may bring us good news from heaven that all is well within all peace there this is such peace as all the world cannot give nor sell nor buy Never more need of the peace of conscience then now As one said of the books of faith There be abundance of books written of faith buy them all up saith he ye will need every one
every day eye the brazen serpent Justification is an ever-running fountain and therefore we cannot look to have all the water at once A fountain ever runneth anew so justification ever floweth anew and we must go to it Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec O let us sue out every day a dayly pardon of course Let us not sleep one night without a new pardon Better sleep in a house full of adders and venemous beasts then sleep in one sinne O then be sure with the day to clear the sinnes of the day Then shall our conscience have true peace But how if I have relapsed what shall I do then I answer Every man that falleth doth not fall on all foure as we use to say he doth not fall quite There be degrees of falling As in a sick man though he be ill yet he is not by and by dead some life remaineth still which will look out towards health again so there is so much life in justification as to recover thee again Be constant therefore in this course Ever go to Christ ever wash in this fountain ever bring thy soul hither to be cleansed and then thy conscience ever shall have peace Fourthly If we would maintein our peace then let us labour to be constant in obedience to Jesus Christ Whosoever keepeth his word in him verily is the word of God perfected and hereby know we that we are in him 1. John 2. 5. Mark Hereby our conscience may tell us that we are right and speak peace to us if we keep his word II. Question How the peace of conscience doth depend upon our care and our obedience The reason why I raise this question is this Because as our justification is onely in Christ so our peace is onely in him how then doth the peace of our conscience depend on obedience The place of Scripture that occasioneth the doubt is 1. Pet. 3.21 The answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is by Christ how dependeth it then on our obedience Answ 1. A good conscience doth not depend upon our obedience as the principall cause of it but upon justification which we have by Christ if we be in him Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Ye see then that our peace is grounded upon our justification as the principall cause of it If we should seek for peace from our works and obedience alas they are sinfull and defective there is no peace to be found in them Our conscience would be troubled at our best duties at our weaknesse in prayer our frailties in hearing our slips in every holy service There is nothing we do but our conscience might find fault with it and pick a hole in it and therefore we had need to flie unto Christ for true peace No wonder then that Papists have not true peace but professedly say that every man must doubt and no man can be sure of his salvation They must needs doubt indeed who trust to their own works which can never bring true peace The conscience must ever be quarrelling and finding of fault and be without peace if we trust to the best works So that this is the first answer All true peace dependeth upon justification by faith in Christ as the principall cause Secondly We answer That our peace dependeth upon our obedience in this sort that we can have no peace except we be given to obedience Those men that can sinne and yet be at peace were never justified in their lives A child of God when he sinneth as for example if he should be tempted to lie or to omit a good dutie which he knoweth he is bound to perform yet this would much trouble his conscience his soul would be ashamed his heart perplexed he would not know how to look the Lord in the face I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men When David had sinned against God I am troubled saith he and I go mourning all the day long And therefore peace of conscience doth depend thus farre on obedience as that a man cannot have peace unlesse he be obedient and take heed of sinne and labour in all things to be upright before God Now if you ask me But how doth our peace depend upon our obedience I answer It dependeth upon obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which would hinder our peace Sinne would interrupt our peace now obedience removeth sinne To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 1. John 3.18 19. My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth For hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before God Hereby we shall assure our consciences that we are in him if we take heed of hypocrisie If we love in truth and be obedient in truth we shall thereby remove all our doubts and our fears our troubles and perplexities of conscience So that peace doth depend on obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which otherwise would hinder peace This is the first Again our peace of conscience dependeth upon our obedience as the witnessing cause of it Obedience is one of the witnesses of true peace it witnesseth that we have peace with God This is our rejoycing even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie we have had our conversation in the world See here it is the witnessing cause of it Paul had peace of conscience his conscience was able to make him rejoyce How Because it gave testimony that his conversation was godly and simple and gracious Though we be in Christ yet we can have no peace unlesse holy obedience doth witnesse the same Obedience is not the cause of the peace of our consciences before God but it is the cause of our perceiving the same We know we have peace by reason of our obedience We know that every one that doeth righteousnesse is born of God We know we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by the spirit that he hath given us Mark we come to know it by obedience and by the fruits of obedience Take away obedience we can never know peace They that walk by this rule peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God saith the Apostle Thirdly our peace of conscience dependeth on our obedience as the confirming cause Christ confirmeth our peace to us by making us walk close to him and obedient unto him Paul sheweth how it preserveth peace as a shoe preserveth the foot ye know if we should walk without shoes barefoot our feet would be in danger of pricking and hurting So doth obedience to the Gospel preserve our peace Stand saith the Apostle having your feet shod with the preparation
1. For the first That every mans conscience may inform him what estate he is in whether good or bad I speak especially of such as live under the light of the Gospel of Christ There are two rules the one is Gods word which pointeth out both estates and the other is every mans conscience which is privy to the frame and standing of every mans own heart and which of these estates his estate is conscience is privy to this I will instance in some sorts of men 1. The Jews who contented themselves with formality they sacrificed they offered they payed their tithes they did that which Moses commanded them for the letter of it now ye shall see their conscience could tell them that they were not perfect nor upright with God All their duties and formalities and gifts and sacrifices could not make them that did the service perfect as perteining to the conscience Heb. 9.9 Mark Their consciences could say they were not upright for all this As they were not upright so their conscience could tell them they were not upright 2. Another instance we have in the Scribes and Pharisees When they would have condemned the woman taken in adultery their own conscience was privy that they were sinners themselves John 18.9 So also it is with a child of God His conscience is able to inform him that he is a child of God and that he doth truly serve God I thank God saith Paul whom I serve with a pure conscience His conscience told him he was a true servant of God and that he was Gods whose I am saith he So Davids conscience I am thine save me for I have sought thy commandments So the church My beloved is mine and I am his Ye see then how conscience can inform and tell us what estate we are in whether we be godly or carnall whether our conversation be in heaven or on earth whether we be in Christ or out of him The spirit of man knoweth what is in him It is easie to know what our great thoughts of heart are upon what our greatest purposes and projects and studies be whether about God or the world the spirit of a man must needs know it And therefore every man may draw out from conscience a true conclusion how it is with him The reasons are these 1. The first is taken from the nature of conscience The nature of conscience is such that it must needs be able to know what is with a man Now his welldoings or his illdoings are with him he was with himself when he did them When thou art proud or impatient or carelesse in any duty thou art with thy self when thou art so All thy illdoings are with thee and therefore thy conscience must needs know what thou art Our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them Take a curser and as Solomon saith Thine own heart knoweth that thou hast used to curse others So it is with a godly soul Thine obedience is with thee and thy self-deniall is with thee and thy care to walk before God all is with thee and therefore thou must needs know it This is the nature of conscience It is privy to what is with one 2. The second reason is taken from the equity of Gods judgements on the wicked The Lord he will judge none to hell but his conscience shall confesse he was one that walked in the way to hell and death Ye may reade it in the man that had not on the wedding-garment When Christ did charge him with his not having on a wedding-garment and did condemne him to utter darknesse the text saith he was speechlesse that is his conscience confessed that Christs judgement was just I have not on a wedding-garment saith his conscience and it is my fault that I have none and I am rightly condemned Thus his conscience did know it otherwise he could not have been speechlesse in his own desense As Festus told Agrippa that he answered the Priests It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliver any man to dye before that he who is accused have his accusers face to face and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him So may I say that the great Judge of quick and dead will not judge any man to hell but he will have his accusers face to face and if he can answer for himself he may Now if conscience be not privy to what estate soever a wicked man is in his conscience could never accuse him face to face at the last day nor justifie the Lord Jesus and make the sinner stand speechlesse before God He might answer Lord I do not know any such thing as is laid to my charge I am not convinced that the case is thus and thus with me that I am in such an estate as I am accused of No wicked man shall be able to say thus Therefore conscience can inform a man in what estate he is 3. The third reason is taken from the Lords manner of judging the godly He will judge them and absolve them secundùm allegata probata as we say according to the word and their own consciences Ye may see the true form of judgement which the Lord will go by Matth. 25. Where the Lord convinceth the whole world who were righteous and who not who to be judged to punishment and who to life for ever at last he concludeth The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall As if he had said Your consciences can say ye are wicked ye did not feed nor clothe nor visit me Go your wayes to hell So for the righteous Your consciences can say ye are righteous Go ye to heaven Thus the Lord will do Now this could not be if conscience could not inform every one that is godly that he is so If conscience could not witnesse what estate they are in this could not be Thus ye see the truth of the first thing II. The second thing that I promised to shew you is How conscience doth this Ye have heard that it is able to inform every one what estate he is in before God Now it followeth to consider How conscience doth it This it doth by comparing the word of God with our hearts and our hearts with the word As for example They who have respect to all Gods commandments shall never be ashamed saith the word But saith conscience I desire to know all my dutie to God and man and to perform all that I know and therefore I shall not be ashamed To him that soweth righteousnesse shall be a sure reward saith the word But saith conscience I plough up my nature and all the fallow-ground of my heart and I sow righteousnesse and therefore to me shall be a sure reward So To be spiritually minded is life and peace saith the word But saith conscience I am spiritually minded my mind is
forbear some kinds of meats at some certain times and so also for garments and the like namely when the doctrine about meats and drinks and garments is pure And therefore in such a case the command of the Magistrate bindeth the conscience otherwise not 4. When they command things indifferent to be absolutely necessarie to make them idolatrous or superstitious then in this case they are unlawfull and bind not the conscience to obey them But when are they idolatrous I answer 1. When they are commanded either as absolutely necessarie to Christianitie to the very being of religion and the worship of God and with as much necessitie as holinesse it self then hey are made superstitious and idolatrous And in this case the caveat of S t John is strongly to be kept Babes keep your selves from idolâ—s 2. When they are commanded as things meritorious as pleasing to God for themselves and to merit of him then they are idolatrous 3. When they are commanded for the substantiall perfection of religion as though religion were imperfect without them then they are made idolatrous and lose their virtue of binding the conscience But all such commands of things that are indifferent which are commanded without respect to make them idolatrous they may be obeyed This is our second conclusion 3. Conclusion 3. Those laws and commandments of Magistrates which want the authoritie of Gods law to confirm them and therefore bind not the conscience ought not to be disobeyed for all that with scandal or contempt and by unreverent slighting or despising the Magistrate or his laws He must be acknowledged a Magistrate under God for all that 1. Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort that supplications be made for Kings and those that are in authoritie He speaketh there of heathen Kings yet he calleth them Kings and saith they have authoritie and we ought to pray for them and therefore how much more when Kings and Magistrates subscribe to Christian religion Nay though they command that which is utterly unlawfull we must not rise up against them for if we do we rise up against God We must obey them one way or other either actively or passively When they command that which is lawfull for us to do we must obey them by doing when they command that which is unlawfull for us to do and threaten punishment then we cannot actively obey them by doing because they command against God yet we must passively obey by suffering and submitting to their penalties because the Lord hath given them authority over us This is our third conclusion 4. Conclusion 4. Those laws of Magistrates which by Gods law do not bind conscience do yet in matter of scandal bind us to obedience If the Magistrate shall command any thing beyond his power to command yet not unlawfull for us to do though such a command do not bind to obedience in case of conscience yet in case of scandal it doth Thus Christ was content to pay tribute though he needed not to have done it The children saith he are free neverthelesse lest he should offend the Magistrate he did pay it I will put an example of another nature In a private wrong though we are not expressely bound to it yet rather then scandalously to contend conscience doth bind us to yield Needed Abraham to have condescended so farre unto Lot as to let him take his choice before him No rather then scandal of religion should arise ye may reade that he did it Thus I have briefly made it manifest how farre the commands of the Magistrate do not bind conscience and how farre they do Objections 1. But it may be objected Conscience hath onely relation to God I answer It is true as the supreme and absolute binder of conscience but it hath a relation also unto men in the second place inasmuch as God putteth upon men such terms as conscience hath relation to Acts 24.16 Herein I have alwayes endevoured my self to have alwayes a clear conscience both towards God and towards men Mark Conscience hath relation to both For though it have its main relation to God and his word yet in him it hath relation unto men 2. Again it may be replied The Magistrates do not undertake nor can they to meddle with mens invisible spirits for they are not able to see whether the spirit of man be obedient or no and therefore how do their laws bind us in conscience The Magistrate onely looketh at the bodie mens thoughts and affections and consciences are naked onely to God It is true the Magistrate doth not undertake but onely to bind the outward man neverthelesse the conscience of the subject feeleth it self to be bound to obedience under pain of sinning against God who giveth this generall precept Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake to the King c. The conscience feeleth this and so it cometh to be bound 3. Again it may be replied The conscience is not bound but onely by way of religion If I make conscience of a thing then I make a matter of religion of it but what religion is there in the commandments of Magistrates suppose the Magistrate commandeth us to get our armour in readinesse to mend our high-wayes to moderate expenses at nuptials or the like these are civil things and not religious and therefore how can they bind conscience We make conscience onely of religion and the worship of God Such laws do not bind conscience under the name of religion but under the name of civil discipline And again though they do not bind conscience per se and immediately yet they do per aliud and as subjoyned to an higher law For though the breach of such laws be onely a civil fault in it self yet in another respect it may be a morall sinne if the powers that are ordained of God be neglected and disobeyed And therefore though the conscience do not regard civil laws as they are civil neither do we make conscience of them as they are civil yet as they are made by the minister of God and backed by his authoritie which the Lord hath set on them so they do take hold of conscience and not to perform them is contrarie to justice and charitie and the profit and safetie of the commonwealth and so a sinne Uses 1. This confuteth the Anabaptists who denie that any obedience is to be given to the secular power Ye see here that the laws of Magistrates have Gods seal upon them and therefore we must yield obedience unto them for they bind in conscience Again this confuteth the Papists who teach that their Popes laws and commandments are of supreme authoritie and require equall submission of spirit with Gods laws and also that the omission of them is death and damnation Our doctrine and religion goeth between both For we teach that Gods authoritie is onely supreme and that he onely can make laws under pain of death and damnation and
what he had vowed Or if a man should promise marriage to a woman and before the time of nuptials she be found unchast this is a farre greater consequence and he is not bound in conscience to marry her These kinds of vows do not bind in conscience But all other do bind us 1. Use We may learn from hence never to vow but with good judgement and counsel For either we must keep our promise or not If we must that is a signe it is good and therefore had need of deliberation If we must not keep it then it is a signe of rashnesse and inconsideratenesse and besides it may prove scandalous and offensive to them to whom we make it and also to them that shall heare of it And therefore it requireth good judgement and advise to vow What a rash vow was that of good Jephthah If thou wilt deliver Ammon into my hand whatsoever meeteth me I will offer it for a burnt-offering How if a dog had first met him what a sinne had it been How if his daughter what a thing had that been And indeed it proved to be his daughter Vows without judgement do but increase our sinnes and aggravate our transgressions against God 2. Use This teacheth us to keep our good vows whatsoever they be that we make Indeed it is hard to keep a good yea it is hard to make a good vow in that manner as we should It requireth a great deal of faith and self-deniall and humilitie and strength of resolution But when we have made it our sinne is the greater if we do not then keep it Better it is not to vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay Hast thou vowed a vow then deferre not to pay it God hath no pleasure in fools As if the holy Ghost had said It is the part of a fool to vow before he consider and be absolutely resolved to perform to be off and on with the Lord God of hosts The Lord hath no pleasure in fools Therefore pay all thy good vows and be humbled for thy rash vows But we are fallen into bad times when truth and equitie is perished from among men Every one is a deceitfull bow yea the best almost is a briar Nothing so common as vows and promises but few make conscience of performing them Nay men are carelesse of their grand vow which they have made vnto God in their baptisme O this is a very fearfull sinne Ye have all made a vow unto God in your baptisme that ye would live otherwise then ye do and ye make no conscience to keep it Baptisme is a very weightie thing If there were no other thing to bind you to holinesse and obedience and faith but onely the vow ye entred into in your baptisme did ye consider what a vow it is it would move you alone It is said of Apollos that he was fervent in spirit though he knew nothing but the baptisme of John Apollos considered what a vow he had made unto God in his baptisme that though he knew nothing else it made him zealous for God Baptisme is a very great binder of conscience It bindeth a man to believe and to go out of himself and to submit to Jesus Christ The wicked Pharisees saw this to be true If we shall say that Johns baptisme was from heaven he will say Why did ye not then believe Beloved was not your baptisme from heaven was it not an ordinance of God and did ye not solemnly then vow unto God Why then do ye not believe why do ye not denie your selves your works your wayes and take up Christs crosse As Christ saith of John Baptist Among them that are born of women there hath not been a greater then John the Baptist so may I say of bonds and of vows and covenants Among all the vows and covenants that ever were made there hath not been a greater then this of Baptisme And therefore ye had best look to the performing of what ye then vowed If ye do not ye are grievous breakers of covenant with God which sinne will surely stand against you for evil It is most certain that Baptisme doth greatly bind us in conscience to walk answerably to it in all righteousnesse and true holinesse And we can never be saved though we are baptized except we can answer with a good conscience that we live as we vowed in our Baptisme 1. Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptisme doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God Mark Unlesse we can answer with a good conscience that we live according to our promises in it our Baptisme cannot save us I pray consider that speech of St Paul We are buried with Christ by Baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised up from thâ— dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life Mark There is the vow that we made unto God in our Baptisme And the Apostle there telleth us we are bound in conscience to keep this vow otherwise we had better have been without our Baptisme Do not think that God will be mocked Ye are content to go for Christians but if ye be Christians consider ye are under a great vow and if ye do not keep it Gods covenant hath a quarrel against you and ye shall be broken in judgement There is no sinne that ye live in no lust that your conscience telleth you hath enterteinment in your hearts but it is sacramentall perjurie against the vow that ye made unto God in your Baptisme Are ye dead to good duties Ye vowed in your Baptisme ye would not be so Do ye not dayly mortifie and subdue your affections Ye vowed in your Baptisme ye would Do ye not dayly fight against sinne and the flesh like the faithfull souldiers of Christ Ye vowed in your Baptisme ye would What a horrible perjurie is this Nay it is worse it is a sacramentall perjurie When the Apostles saw any sinne in the people presently they tell them of Baptisme as if they should say Do ye live thus and thus when ye vowed the contrarie in your Baptisme When there were divisions in Corinth Some would be of Cephas and some of Apollos and some of Paul Paul then telleth them of their Baptisme Were ye baptized in the name of Paul As if he had said I pray consider how contrary this is unto your Baptisme Ye were baptized into Christ and are ye thus divided among your selves So when there was corruption crept into the people of Galatia S t Paul telleth them of their Baptisme As many of you saith he as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ As if he had said This corruption of yours is contrarie to your Baptisme Ye were baptized into Christ and ye have vowed to put on Christ and do ye yield to such