Ahab âd a quiet conscience but onely when âicaiah did preach Felix had a quiâconscience no doubt yet he tremâd to heare Paul preach of death and ãâã judgement Acts 24.25 One would we thought that Paul a prisoner âould rather have been afraid but âul had true peace of conscience and âerefore he could think and speak of âath with great comfort and of judgeâent with joy So could not Felix Beloved this is a strong signe of a saâ peace when some points of Gods woâ lay us flat and bereave us of our holâ Ye shall have many say O they haâ such peace and they have such a good coâscience as quiet as can be and as heaâ whole as can be By and by a souâ searching point cometh and ransackeâ them to the quick and they are goâ I confesse they go and get some unteâpered morter or other and dawb ãâã their consciences again but they ãâã gone for the time This is a stroââ signe of a rotten peace But a child â God can heare any point heare â death of judgement of any thing coâteined in the word with delight aâ comfort It is true he may be aâzed thereat but he is glad at heart tââ he heareth it and will make use ofâ be it mercy or judgement Sweet ãâã bitter points all are welcome to hiâ even the bitterest points are sweet ãâã him because God and he are at peaceâ and therefore he knoweth there is ãâã news from God but it is good IV. If our peace of conscience ãâã good it will heal that base fearfulnesse âhich is in many who dare not be in âe dark dare not go through a âurch-yard in the night Some will âake at the very shaking of a leaf as âe wicked in Job Job 15.21 which is nothing ât a guiltie conscience I grant this ârfulnesse is naturall to some yet I ãâã the true peace of conscience will âre it I do not say this is a reciproâll signe of true peace of conscience âr many wicked men may be bold âough but I say true peace of conâence will cure this immoderate fearânesse in the godly But here two questions are to be askâ I. Whether every true child of âod that hath true peace of conscience ân think of death with comfort and ãâã desirous to die Answ 1. Peace of conscience doth ât take away naturall fear It is the âture of every living creature to be veâ fearfull of death The Philosopher âlleth death ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the fearâllest thing of all fearfull things Bildad âlleth it the king of terrours Job 18.14 Nature loveth its own preservation and thereforâ feareth the destruction of it Peace oâ conscience doth not take away all thâ fear 2. Besides peace of conscienââ doth not take away alwayes all degreâ of slavish fear of death The reason iâ because peace of conscience may ãâã weak mixed with much troubles ãâã conscience For as faith may be veâ imperfect so peace of conscience mâ be in some very imperfect Good oâ Hilarion was very fearfull to die Hâ cried out to his soul when he lay on hâ death-bed O my soul hast thou servâ Christ these fourescore years and art thâ now afraid to die Again a mans loâ may be very imperfect 1. John 4.18 Perfect love iâdeed casteth out fear but imperfeââ love doth not Hezekiah had peaâ of conscience Remember Lord saith ãâã I have walked before thee in truth 2. Kings 20.3 ãâã with a perfect heart Mark He had tâ peace of a good conscience his coâscience told him he had a sincere heaâ and that his wayes pleased God yâ he was afraid to die I do not thinkâ was onely because he had no issuâ though that might be some reason of it â When a child of God is afraid to âie it is not so much for love of this âife as out of a desire to be better prepaâed This made David cry out O âpare me that I may recover strength Psal 39.13 beâore I go hence and be no more And so âob Let me alone Job 10.20 21. that I may take comâort a little before I go whence I shall not âeturn These good men were then âomething unwilling to die They âight have many reasons most likely âis was one That they might be betâer prepared and more fit and ready for âeir departure 4. Some of Gods âeople as these Job and David at âther times I say some of Gods peoââe have such marvellous peace with âod as that if it were Gods will they âad much rather die then live Phil. 1.23 I desire ãâã be dissolved saith Paul and to be with âhrist which is farre better It may be â regard of the church or the care of âeir children and charge God hath laid ân them they could be content to reâain still in the body neverthelesse âhey account their state after death much better and were it put to them whether to die or to live longer here they would choose death rather of the twain 1. Kings 19.4 Nay Elias requested for himselâ that he might die It is enough Lordâ take away my life Not that they lovâ death it self for death is evil in its owâ nature contrary to nature a badge oâ sinne but for the love they have to anâ the assurance they have of eternall lifâ after death 5. Nay there is no chilâ of God but may truly be said to lovâ death and to love the day of judgement and the appearing of Christ Jesus Divines use to put this as a signe of Godâ children Nay the Apostle maketh thiâ as a propertie of Gods children to lovâ Christs appearing I have fought a gooâ fight saith Paul I have finished mâ course There he telleth us of his owâ peace and then he telleth us of his reward 2. Tim. 4.8 From henceforth is laid up for ãâã a crown of righteousnesse which the Lorâ the righteous Judge shall give me in thââ day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing that is to alâ his children For all the children oâ God love the appearing of Jesus Christ to judgement Though all do not desire it with the same strength of faith âet all desire it with faith They beâieve that Christ hath destroyed him that âath the power of death Heb. 2.14 which is the deâil they believe Christ hath taken âway deaths sting which is sinne 1. Cor. 15.56 57. and ãâã allowed death up in victory and may âl say Thanks be unto God who hath giâen us victory through our Lord Jesus âhrist Neither do they so much queâon this as their faith to believe it âying Lord help our unbelief 6. Gods âildren have good reason to do so âd to check their own hearts whenâer they do otherwise Whenever any âstrust cometh they should check it âwn again whenever any fear ariâh they should say What I fear ââth which is a thing so precious Psal 116.15 Preâus in the sight of the
their consciences by their grosse sinnes but of those who would seem godly and perform good duties but with hypocriticall hearts and carnall minds O that they would heare but conscience argue a little in this manner To be carnally minded is death that is is an evident signe of a man that is in the state of death and damnation But saith conscience I am carnally minded or we are carnally minded Therefore we have an argument about us of death and damnation And so also for all other sinnes There is not a wicked man under heaven but he may argue out of his own miserable estate by his conscience or he might if it were awaked as one day it will be Vse 3 Thirdly this may serve for instruction No matter what opinions meâ have of us in the world The questioâ is What is the judgement of our owâ consciences upon us It may be thou art taken for a man of great knowledge and a forward man in godlinesse it may bâ the godly dare not judge otherwise oâ thee but the question is What is tââ judgement of conscience Doth nor thy conscience tell thee thou art but a proud fool conceited of thy knowledge and âovest to heare thy self talk And so for thy performance of good duties what testimony doth conscience give of the manner of doing of them The testimoniall of conscience is above all testimonials in the world 2. Cor. 1.12 all the good opinions of the world are not worth a âush without this If conscience can âay that in our wayes we seek to please God and allow not our selves in any âvil way this testimony is full and saâisfactory and onely this Yet further concerning this judiciall witnesse of conscience It is either about âhings to be done or omitted or things âlready done or omitted The judiciall witnesse of conscience about things to âe done or omitted is double 1. To âdge out of Gods law whether it be âood or evil 2 To counsel out of âur own judgements either to do it or âorbear it according as the nature of the âction is If it be good conscience will so on the contrary if it be evil conscience will counsel us to forbear yea bring arguments to disswade O do it not it will tend to the dishonour of God and be offensive to others and wound our souls c. It was conscience that withheld David from killing Saul and prest him from it by a strong argument 1. Sam. 24 10. O he is the Lords anointed It was conscience that withheld Joseph from yielding to the enticings of his mistres and yielded him an argument to disswade him from it How shall I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God It was conscience that disswaded Nehemiah from flying Neh. 6.11 Should such a man as I flie And if one argument will not serve conscience will use more Vse 1 The use of this may be first for Instruction Hence we learn that naturall men may have a conscience urging to good and restraining from evil There is no man so evil or ignorant but he hath naturally some light with him by which conscience is set on work to advise and to counsel and to say This is very good do it This is very sinfull forbear it This therefore is no signe of grace in any man to have his conscience calling upon him to do good or âisswading him from evil The very heathen had so according to their light yea and in many of them it was forcible to restrain them from many sinnes which they were inclined unto And so may many men be put upon many good duties not for any love or liking of that which is good but because they would please and satisfie conscience which otherwise will not suffer them to be quiet It was conscience that kept Abimelech from defiling Sarah and yet a carnall man Here then a question may be asked Obj. Whether a mere naturall man can avoid sinne for conscience sake I answer Answ That this expression for conscience sake may be taken two wayes either 1. for conscience of the commandment of God and love to it and so none but Gods children do obey for conscience sake and so it is meant when Paul speaketh of being subject for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 1. Pet. 2.19 and Peter speaketh of suffering science may not reproch him all his dayes for not following it Whereas it is otherwise with the wicked Vse 3 3. The third use is this Seeing conscience is appointed by God to be our guide and our counsellour it should be our practice in every thing we do to ask counsel of conscience whether we were best do it or no. I say that conscience is Gods oracle Whatsoever we are to do we should as David enquire of Gods oracle 1. Sam. 23.2 May I go this way to work or shall I take an other course Heare counsel and receive instruction Prov. 19.20 saith Salomon that thou mayst be wise at thy latter end Conscience is a faithfull counsellour heare it It is the great mercie of God that thou hast such a privie counsel Thou canst go nowhere but it is about thee to advise thee Therefore as Rehoboam said to his green heads What counsel give you so say thou to thy conscience What advise givest thou Conscience in this case my carnall friends counsel me thus and thus mine own carnall heart and lusts would have me go this way but Conscience what counsell givest thou Vse 4 4. The fourth use is to reprove âhe custome of most men who with Ahab refuse the counsel of that one ârue wholesome prophet have foure âundred other counsellours who will âive counsel as they would have it They regard not this good Michaiah âhey slight the counsel of conscience âheir lusts and their carnall reason and ââesh and bloud are their counsellours The counsel of conscience they say is not âood at this time as he said of Achitoâhels They will heare conscience at ânother time but not now But take âeed for if you reject the counsel of âonscience it is because the Lord hath â purpose to destroy you The Adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of this dutie of judging and counselling THe adjuncts are of two sorts The adjuncts of conscience 1. such as respect consciences abilitie to âischarge its duty 2. such as accompanie conscience in the discharge thereof darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth John 12.35 O labour therefore to get a conscience illightened It is true a man may have an illightened conscience and yet go to hell but this is most certain without an illightened conscience a man cannot go to heaven And if thy conscience be something illightened yet labour for more light It will prevent many a stumble save thee from many a knock Thou knowest not what case thou mayest be in what difficult straits thou mayest be put unto if thou hast not light in thy conscience to direct
Lord is the death âhis Saints Is death precious and shall I âso vain as to fear it Thus ye see ãâã answer to the first question Wheâer every child of God that hath true âace of conscience can be desirous to âe 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 man make a wicked man desirous to die Hâ may have so much horrour of conscience as that he may think certainly heâ cannot be worse Hell is infinitelâ worse but he may not think so Thâ Judas was desirous to die Matth. 27.5 when he weâ and hanged himself Thus many in dâspair do make away themselves I coâfesse some in despair may be fearfuâ to die as Cain was fearfull to die â was fear of death made him speaâ thus unto God It shall come to passe thâ every one that findeth me shall slay mâ Gen. 4.14 The reason was becausâ though he were in despair yet he wâ not so sensible of his horrour as Judââ was for Cain could go and build ãâã all this and train up his children ãâã musick and the like for all this bâ Judas was in a case more sensible of hâ misery 2. Dolour of pain may maâ a wicked man desire to die Thus â was with Saul Saul had received bâ deaths wound and was in most grieâous pain he could not die presently âeither could he live but lying in very âreat pain between both desired the Amalekite to stand upon him and slay âim 2. Sam. 10.9 though Osiander âhink the Amalekite lyed unto David âo curry favour with him but Joseâhus and others think he spake the âruth Sure it is that many wicked âretches having no peace of consciânce to sweeten and allay their torâents have been desirous to die nay âome have hastened their own death â Malecontentednesse and shame and âisappointment of their aims may also âake wicked men desirous to die and ãâã death come not soon enough of it âelf to dispatch away themselves with âruel self-murder Thus it was with Aâhitophel 2. Sam. 17 23. when he saw his counsel was was not followed he haltered himself He had no peace of conscience to comâort him against all his dumps and disâontents and therefore he was desiâous to die 4. Wicked men being âexed at something for the present may seem to be desirous to die and yeâ 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 manâ O for a fit he would be dying yea thaâ he would Jon. 4.3 Lord take my life from meâ for it is better for me to die then to live â suppose if God had taken him at hiâ word he could have wished his wordâ had been in again But thus it is ofteâ in the mouthes of wicked people â would I were dead and I would I were oâ of the world not for any peace of conscience they have nor for any desire oâ death but onely for a momentany pangâ If they were to die indeed they would be loth enough to it Like the man iâ 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 shalâ 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 âometimes not out of discontent or âny such like reason yet it cannot be out of any true peace of conscience They may go away like lambs as we âay but it is in a fools paradise It may be whilest they lived they thought âo go to heaven but when they die then âll their thoughts perish as the Psalmist âpeaketh in another case To return therefore where we left O beloved is there any of you that want the peace of a good conscience ând do ye know what you want what â great benefit and blessing That ye may see this and fully know it and by ânowing it earnestly desire it conâider First That it is the very head of all âomforts A worthie Divine calleth it Abrahams bosome to the soul Ye know what a blessing it was unto Lazarus to be taken from his sores 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 1. Cor. 16.10 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 oâ 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 Psal 119.103 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 companie 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 An other 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 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 1. Cor. 4.3 4. saith his conscience I count it a very small 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 Menander could say ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 Exhortation 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 maintein 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 Mal. 2.6 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 maintein 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 wisedome 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 prise 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 What it 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 Lev. 5.4 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 Gen. 42.21 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 Psal 51.3 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 âo fall upon them and the hills to cover âhem 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 âonsciences feel it this is another cause of the trouble of conscience 3. A third cause of the trouble of âonscience is the fear of death and of âell When we know we have offended Gods law and we know also what our sinnes do deserve namely death and âudgement and damnation for ever âhis doth most trouble and disquiet conscience when it fastneth on the apprehension of it The Apostle calleth ât 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 noâ at all support it this must needs also trouble conscience V. 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 ãâã have sinned I am a reprobate past hope c. When such thoughts as these fasten oâ 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 sin 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 presence of God verse 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 âhen 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 conscience 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 anâ are troubled to think that they have sinned and offended the Lord God Thuâ we see David could not be at quiet Although Nathan had told him from Goâ that his sinne was forgiven yet his conscience still troubled him Psal 51.4 Against the onely have I sinned and done this evil iâ thy sight saith he I grant the consciences of Gods children are troubled aâ the apprehension of Gods anger but then it is his fatherly anger not the anger of an enemy Though for a sââ they may seem to apprehend that 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 Psal 80.4 how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth saith the Psalmist Sometimes âhe 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 âetter Now the consciences of Gods âeople are very much troubled when âhe Lord is thus angry with them 2. The second degree of trouble of âonscience is such as is in the wicked ând yet not altogether without hope The conscience is troubled but yet so âs it conceiveth hope God is merciâull and Christ died for poore sinners âc Thus many a wicked man is trouâled and affrighted in conscience not âor 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 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 there is a higher degree yet a worse troubled conscience then 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 everâ their consciences make them despair of all hope or possibilitie of avoyding this bringing such thoughts as these Whaâ a deal of time have I spent in sinne wherein I might have made my peace with God anâ 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 Desperatio est homicida animae Aug. 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 vvould I vvere in their cases They are damned but I shall be vvorse 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 âp again it should seem but Judas did not Those that never get up again eiâher 1. they live in intolerable horrour and vexation of spirit Desperare est in infernum descendere Isid 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 wall after our owne 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 Ezek. 4.23 as thâ prophet speaketh A kind of sorroâ they have but they cannot mourn â kind of sad dolour but they cannoâ weep Ye shall not mone nor weep bââ pine away in your sinnes saith the text I confesse there be more presumers iâ 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
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 M. M. 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 of them ere long So may I say of whatever may forward the peace of conscience Buy it purchase it get it as much peace as you can possible ye will have need of it all ere long Take heed of troubling your consciences or clogging them with guilt lest the Lord cast you off and lest ye be hardned and so ye perish from the right way Do not think thus O we are believers and have no need of such threatnings He who is certain of his salvation knoweth assuredly he should be damned if he should go on in sinne without repentance This If is true enough Ezek. 18.26 If the righteous forsake his righteousnesse all his former righteousnesse shall be forgotten And Wo is me saith Paul 1. Cor. 9.16 if I preach not the gospel In the state of innocencie there was use of threatnings so is there now in the state of grace The Lord threatned Adam in innocencie If thou eat thereof thou shalt die the death Job was awed by threatnings not to lift up his hand against the fatherlesse for saith he Job 31.23 destruction from God was a terrour to me My flesh saith David trembleth for fear of thee Psal 119.120 and I am afraid of thy judgements Let us have grace saith the Apostle Heb. 12.28 whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Why for our God is a consuming fire For be it that Gods children that is all believers shall never fall finally away yet this threatning is one of Christs instruments whereby he keepeth them from falling and they also may tast of much bitternesse if they grow indulgent to their corruptions O therefore take heed of this curse that your consciences may not dog you with the guilt of sinne and the apprehension of Gods wrath You will never be able to bear it much lesse in the time of affliction O it is good being in a drie house when a great tempest is up and it is safe being in a good harbour when a storm beateth hard A good conscience is good at all times but O how sweet then When Jonah fell into affliction the want of peace in his conscience made him look upon his affliction as upon hell as though he had been in the belly of hell They who follow lying vanities forsake their own mercies saith he Mark his conscience dogged him with his fleeing from God and forsaking his own mercies Ye see he was miserably distressed by it till the Lord did deliver him Be charie then of conscience and get it purged that it may speak peace to you in trouble 4 Questions NOw I have declared unto you What a troubled conscience is What is the cause of it and wherein it consisteth How many degrees there be of it How the troubled conscience of the godly differeth from the troubled conscience of the wicked the miserie of a troubled conscience and What a deal of mischief it doth one especially in affliction now I should leave this point but that there be sundrie questions to be answered about it I. Suppose a man be rid of this trouble and have peace of conscience how shall he maintein it and keep out troubles from it II. Whether and how the peace of our conscience dependeth upon our care and obedience III. What manner of obedience it is that peace of conscience doth depend on IV. If a man have no peace but onely a burdened conscience what must such a man do to be freed from it and to attein true peace I. Question How a man may keep peace of conscience I begin with the first Suppose a man have peace of conscience what must he do to keep and maintein it I answer First We must labour to prevent troubles of conscience by taking heed that we do nothing contrarie to conscience We must not be drawn by friendship or credit or the love of any lust to do that which conscience forbiddeth Nothing should be so dear unto us as the peace of conscience nothing for the love of it should make us do ought against our conscience How miserable are those comforts delights satisfactions which we get to our selves in such courses as our own hearts do condemn However they seem comforts for a while and contentments for a while and delights for a while yet at last it will appear that miserable comforts are they all Nothing that we get in any evil way will chear and comfort us in a time of need What said Francis Spira at the time of his death when seeing his wife and children about him and thinking on the goods and estate which he had got for them by denying the truth which he had before mainteined against the Romish errours he cried out in the horrour of his conscience How terrible is the sight of these unto me However before they had been comforts to him yet now he could not endure the sight of them O thought he I recanted for your sake I yielded to superstition and it was long of you Therefore he abhorred now the sight of them Wretched is he that alloweth himself in any course which his conscience findeth fault with It is a good rule the Apostle giveth Rom. 14.22 Blessed is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth that is Blessed is he that hath not a condemning conscience that alloweth not himself in any course wherein his conscience doth condemne him So that if we have peace of conscience and desire to maintein it let us never allow our selves in any course that our conscience may condemne us in That is the first answer Answ 2 Secondly If we will maintein our peace we must labour to have our hearts grounded in the assurance of the love of God alas it will fail us else and leave us in trouble and perplexitie in time of greatest need Observe how the Apostle joyneth love and peace together 2. Cor. 13.11 The God of love and peace be with you If he be the God of love to us it is sure enough he will be the God of
however and the high-way to hell but to be wicked when ye have godly neighbours about you your sinne now is double For as you offend God so you offend them too Ye may remember what Christ saith Whosoever offendeth one of these little ones which believe in me it were better for him that a milstone were hung about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Matth. 18.6 Ah ye vile wretches ye little imagine what fearfull vengeance ye pull on your own heads It were better for you that a milstone were hung about your necks and ye thrown into the sea then that ye should offend one of these little ones Ye may call them what ye will call them puritanes precisians uncharitable people censurers ye may call them as Satan teacheth you to call them but it is certain it were better a milstone were hung about your neck and ye thrown into the sea then that ye should offend any one of Christs little ones The Lord open your eyes that ye may repent and believe the gospel your selves and be saved 4. Lastly be exhorted brethren to labour after a good conscience How excellent a thing is it that hath so many good ingredients Illumination is one ingredient and Faith is another and Tendernesse another and Purenesse another and Quietnesse another and the Bloud of Jesus Christ another It is like Aarons composition which smelt sweetly when he went into the sanctuarie It is compounded of excellent conditions such as smell sweeâ when we come before God the Lord loveth that such should come neaâ him We may come with assurance tâ speed if we come with a good conscience Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with assurance oâ faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Mark we may draw near with assurance if we come with tâ good conscience It will comfort us in all troubles and support us in all dangers It maketh us happie nay there is no happinesse without it It will make us with quietnesse and contentednesse of spirit undergo whatever it shall please God to lay upon us How can they want comfort that have this It is a spring of comfort within them This will remain with us when all other comforts will forsake us When friends fail and estate faileth when credit and health and strength and all fail then a good conscience if we have it will speak peace to us yea and it will effect it in us comfort us and fasten comfort upon us Friends may speak words of comfort and peace to us but it may be we are not able to receive it the minister may preach peace but it may be we are not able to take it But a good conscience speaketh peace and effecteth it it doth not onely speak it but it putteth it into our hearts It proppeth us up in all miseries in sicknesses yea in death it self A good conscience then maketh us hold up our heads when all the world shall be confounded A good conscience will bear us out against the King of terrours It is onely a good conscience that can look death in the face 1. Cor. 15.55 57. and say O death where is thy sting thanks be to God who giveth us victorie through our Lord Jesus Christ Yea at the day of judgement when the whole world shall be burning before us when the great men of the world who go in silks and scarlet and broidred hair shall fear and shiver as a reed shaken with the wind this will make us with boldnesse undergo the terrour of it This will make us happie in all our distresses When crosses pelt us and sicknesse paineth us and death attacheth us we are happie men What if we have the tokens of Gods wrath upon our bodies so we have the marks of his love upon our souls What outward calamitie soever happeneth to us yet if we have this good conscience we are happie O then let us labour to get it by faith and a holy life If we would be safe in the floud-time in the day of Gods wrath we must be busie now about the ark we must provide beforehand for it Nothing but this ark will save us in the deluge of Gods anger It is in vain to trouble our selves about other things Jubal was a merrie man Gen. 4.20 he made pipes and organes Jabal built tents others planted vineyards but Noah provided his ark Many desire comfort in sicknesse in death but they do not provide for it beforehand They look after their sports or businesses in the world but this ark is neglected this good conscience without which all mens labour is vain Be they what they will be in never so much credit and esteem they are yet most miserable when troubles and afflictions come on them as one day they shall and shall not tarrie then all their comforts will forsake them When death looketh them in the face then their hearts die within them How full of pride and haughtinesse soever they were before yet when they come to die if their consciences be awaked they will with Saul fall down to heare the name of death 1. Sam. 28.20 and no spirits be left in them Nay if we want a good conscience when we lie on our death-beds desire good people to pray for us Good sir I beseech you let me have the benefit of your prayers to God for me Alas if thou hast not a good conscience all the prayers under heaven will not help thee See Heb. 13.18 Brethren pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience Mark The Apostle telleth them they may pray for him with comfort because he had a good conscience As if he had said If we had not a good conscience it were in vain for you to pray for us If ever God heare the prayers made for us we must have a good conscience Those that have not this good conscience shall never enter into the kingdome of heaven Though they had Moses Daniel and Job to pray for them yet all their prayers could not help them in the time of their distresse The bond of conscience NOw we must look back unto the foure propositions which at the beginning I observed in the text I am upon 1. That there is in every man a conscience 2. That the light which directeth conscience is knowledge 3. That the bond which bindeth conscience is Gods law 4. That the office of conscience is to bear witnesse to accuse or excuse I have in the handling of these a little altered the method and spake of the two first and the last Now followeth the third and that is consciences bond which is Gods law which shew the work of the law written in their hearts c. It is onely the work of Gods law that it beareth witnesse of that it accuseth or excuseth for The bond of conscience is Gods law The law of God is consciences bond Neverthelesse we must here distinguish The bonds