the Instrument and another thing to have them all in tune when it is not rightly tuned though it have on all the strings it cannot give a sweet nor harmonious sound so is it with the Conscience The Use is For exhortation to watchful advertance in every thing to Conscience it 's Testimony Seing there are many that do good on the matter who yet want it's Testimony it becomes us to be the more watchful to keep a good Conscience and seing that Conscience it's speaking for a man and giving him it's approbative Testimony and his doing that which is good on the matter are not only separable but are often actually separated the one from the other not only in natural but even in regenerat men as frâ—quent experience puts beyond debate We had need I say to be the more watchful both as to the matter and manner of our doing least we be at a lose of the Testimony of Conscience for us And none would think it to be as easie a bussinesse to keep a good Conscience as to the manner of performing of Duty as it is to do so â—s to the matter of it How many come to the Church but without due preparation and without having a heart ready to hear what God will say to them and meddle with with other Duties without regarding the due manner of performing them We â—ight instance it in all these Six Sorts of Actions we spoke of the other day in all which there is a propensnes iâ— us naturally to degenerat and go beside the Rule As namely 1. In natural Actions of Eating and Drinking or of loving Husband or Wife or Children men may be very carnal degenerat and become like very Beasts 2. In civil Actions as Buying and Barganing wherein men maâ— turn basely covetous selfie and seeking their own things and not the honour of God noâ— the good and advantage of others 3ly In Moral Actions as speaking truth dealing fairly and honestly wherein men may turn legal proud and vain and seek to establish a self-righteousnesse thereby to themselves 4. In external Religious Actions as hearing the Word Praying c. Wherein men may turn hypocritical and formal having a shew without substance and a form of godliness without the power of it 5. In inward Duties as repentance contentment c. Wherein men may turn worldly and carnal therefore a worldly repentance from fear of punishment or of shame in the World or worldly sorrow that causeth death is spoken of 2 Cor. 7. v. 10. So theâ—e is a worldly contentment 6. In passive actions or sufferings some may suffer from inevitable necessity and have no thanks for it as it is 1 Pet. 2. 20. We may from the unstraightnesse of the end to which from the unsoundnesse of the principle from which from the unsuitablenesse of the motive by which duties are done and several otherwayes prejudge our selves of the approving Testimony of our Conscience which we would carefully advert to that we divide not betwixt a good Conscience and a good Turn Action or Duty But it may be Asked here What is the reason that it is so difficult to keep a good Conscience and to carry it along with us in the very interim mean time and nick of performing the Action above and beyond what it is either to deliberat and advise with it before we do or to reflect after we have done I Answer And give these Two or Three Reasons of it The First whereof is drawn from the necessary concurrence of so many things that must go together in the performance of an Action Which makes it easier to resolve before doing or to reflect after doing then to perform The 2d is Because there is such a ticklenesse in the frame ol our hearts that they are unstable as water stable in nothing There are Three distempers of heart that we are subject to which all hold forth this difficulty 1. A declining humour to say so or distemper whereby we are given to backslide or turn aside like a deceitful bow that keeps bensel while the arrow is a drawing and when it is at or in the very letting off starteth aside 2ly A levity and unsetlednesse even such that the weather cock is not sooner and more easily whirled about by the least wind then we are by the least breathing of the air of Tentation So that were we just now in a good and suitable frame for Duty ere we be aware we fall off and a good Conscience requireth a composednesse and stayednesse of Frame 3ly A rashnesse and hastinesse or precipitance which makes us that so soon as we are clear in the thing to rush forward and to think all is done that is requisit so that we wait not to carry Conscience along with us in our performances which rash precipitant and hasty humour or distemper maketh us often miscarry As David sayes of himself Psal. 116 I said in my haste that all men are liars and I said in my haste that I am cut off from thy presence Psal. 31. So Believers often marr the composednesse of their own frame by their hâ—steing and not taking heed to what Conscience sayeth while they are in performing Duty Thus many post as it were through their Prayers speaking of many good things in them from light but not endeavouring to carry Conscience its testimony along with them of their sincerity they spoil and marr that which was well intended and begun by them A 4th ground reason or cause of this is the great difficulty that there is to maintain and keep up a right frame of heart for any considerable time and a man will never keep a good Conscience along particular duties if he maintain not a right frame of heart though a thing good in it self were never so fairly floored to speak so and its ground never so well taken up yet the least byass or rub easily puts it by and makes it go out All which should in reason make us study the more watchfulness 5thly Observe which will help to the Use of the former and is of some affinity with the first particular Observation That persons would endeavour to walk in every particular duty or action so as they may not only advert to what Conscience sayes of it but may also carry it along with them in it and have the positive approving testimony thereof all alongst the doing of it which may be though there be not reflecting on it every moment That is not only would they before they undertake any thing be clear that it is a warrantable duty as was marked before but further when they have done this they would so carry Conscience along with them in it as they may have its testimony that they go about it conscienciously Therefore Paul asketh not only what Conscience sayes of the action as to its matter and as to his sincerity in undertaking it but he bringeth it out speaking for him while he is doing it My conscience saith he
profession of Religion which drawes dreadfully deep as wilâ—â—ther appear from some of his instances If sayes he page 271. it be asked what if we be commanded by our lawful prince to say with our tongue we believe not in Christ he may as well add we believe not that there is such a person as Christ must we obey such a command Profession with the tongue sayeth he is no more then any other gesture whereby we signifie our obedience and wherein a Christian holding firmly in his heart the faith of Christ hath the same liberty that Elisha allowed to Naaman the Syrian a great and grosse mistake the Prophet allowed no such thing but without giving any particular answer to his demand since by what Mr. Hobbs confesseth he could not but know that what he desired if indeed he desired it some learned men asserting that the words contain a reflection upon a past unlawful practice and a begging forgivenesse of it and not a desire of a permission of any such practice for the future was a sin and unlawful to be done only bids him go in peace wishing him well and Gods blessing to him though not as to that particular â—ere sayeth he Naaman believed in his heart but by bowing before the Idol Rimmon he denyed the true God in effect as if he had done it with his lips how dare he then be so bold as to affirm that the Prophet allowed and approved of his practice What then shall we say to that of our Saviour whoever denyeth me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven To this sayeth he We may say that whatsoever a Subject as Naaman was is compelled to in obedience to his Soveraign and doth it not according to his own mind but in Order to the Laws of his Countrey that Action is not his but his Soveraigns nor is it be that in this case denyes Christ but his Governour and the Law of his Countrey O! what a wide door is opened here for grofâ—est distimulation and jugllng in the matters of God and for the most palpable inconsistancy betwixt the heart of 〈◊〉 and his actions The one manifestly contradicting and â—elying the other which ought especially in such cases fâ—thfully to correspond and exactly to agree What security I pray could men have upon earth one from another in their Oaths Covenants â—cts and Coâ—acts in their mutual Bâ—rgainings and dealings if such a cursed latitude were allowed them to say promise and sweat one thing and resolve another in their hearts and shaâ— that be allowed in matters wherein the honour of God is so much and so nearly concerned which is so abominable in the concerns of Men all which comparatively are but trifles Might not all Christian Martyrs of old and Protestant ones of late by such obedience to their respective lawful Soveraigns in the several parts of the Christian World have escaped delivered themselves from being burnt alive from other bloody violent and cruel deaths and exquisite torments and shall they not according to this detestable Doctrine be looked at as a company of silly fools who needlessely threw away their lives which they might thus have very easiely preserved â—or none of them we know of were ever by their Popish lawful Soveraigns injoyned to say with their tongue that they believed not in Christ which yet sayeth he they might and should have done keeping their mind to themselves and to God and much more those things which they were commanded Further page 239 240 241. He refers to the decision of the Soveraign all sorts of Doctrine in effect and more particularly and expresly whether the Subjects shall profess That life eternal and happiness shall be on the earth only Whether the Soul of man is a living Creature independent on the Body or doth subsist separatly from the Body Whether any meer man is Immortal otherwayes then by the Resurrection of the last day whether wicked men shall be tormented eternally so as not to be destroyed to die and be annihitated at length to all which himself seemeth to be 〈◊〉 as his own opinions O! wicked and wretched O! atheistical detestable and damnable opinions whether I say the Subject shall professe these things or not he refers to the decision of the Soveraign by which we may very easily judge in how many and in how very momentuous things in Christian Religion he 〈◊〉 subjects as to their outward profession and carriage to â—stand to and acquiesâ—e in the decision and determination of the lawful Soveraign in a Kingdom or Common-wealth or of the publick Conscience or Law of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which whether it be not to deny all Conscience 〈◊〉 Subjects and private persons in such matters as so nearly concern the eternal Salvation of their Immortal Souls is obvious at first 〈◊〉 It puts me in mind of what is reported of a great man smelling strong of this Conscience-destroying-doctrine who expostulating with some Countrey men living under him for their nor doing somewhat required of them by him for which nonpâ—rformance when they pleaded Conscience he in a great â—uffe not without some execration replyed What have the like of you to do with a Conscience Which was plainly on the matter to say with Hobbs that they and such as they should have no Conscience but what is ductile and governable by the Conscience of lawful Rulers and Superiours and that their commands and prohibitions make things just and adjust which is â—ayeth Mr. Liâ—h in his Body of Divinity page 378 to make Subjects beasts and the Magistrat God 2ly All priâ—at persons living in a Kingdom or Common-wealth must hence furth according to these Doctors allown and not in the feast regard in many things and those not of little moment in Religion and the worship of God their own Consciences as his Deputies and have recourse to the publick Conscience or the Law of the Land as the uniâ—ersal Depute set over all the Consciences of privat persons living therein nay to it as taking Gods own room to make Laws directly immediately and of themselves obligatory of all their Consciences and to enjoyn obedience to them as so oblidging them and must contrary to the Scripture no more notice the accusings or excusings of their own Consciences but those only of the publick Conscience 3ly The indispensibly requisite qualification of the obedience of Children to their Parents Ephes. 6. v. 1. viz. In the Lord whereby the Apostle doth undenyably lay it on the Children to consider and judge by their judgement of private discretion whether the commands and injunctions of their Parents be agreeable to the mind of the Lord and such in obedience whereto they may expect the Lords approbation must be casheered and abandoned for certainly there lyeth no greater obligation on Subjects to obey the commands of the Soveraign power of the Kingdom or Common-wealth then lyeth on Children to obey their Parents who were Soveraigns in Families before ever there were
in them Yet considering 1. The nature of the thing and the institution of marriage and that of Mal. 2. 15. That he made but one man and one woman for the man that he might have a godly seed neither can the multiplication of mankind have sufficient weight to make it simply to be no sin 2dly Considering the frequency of it or its being in so many that it became almost ordinary And 3dly Considering the effects that followed on it viz. The many discontents and heart-burnings amongst the Wives and Children in the Families of Abraham and Iacob It cannot absolutely be excused in all Cases and Circumstances else it should make an extraordinary dispensiation if indeed it was to be very ordinary which we have no warrand for A 2d Instance is in Iobs friends who were no question gracious men as the Lords accepting of them and Iob for them Iob 42. 8. sheweth yet that they Erred and were wrong in a Truth in their Judgements is clear from v. 7. of that Chapter where the Lord telleth them that they had not spoken right as his servant Iob had done And that they did very un-tenderly handle Iob is also clear The 3d. Instance is in the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord They were Believers no doubt according to Christ's own Testimony given them Iohn 17. 8. And yet we will find them in several things thinking themselves to be right and that with some sort of perswasion when yet they were wrong As in that one tenet concerning the nature of Christ's Kingdom which they fancied was to be with some earthly Grandour and Pomp and wherein they expected some Worldy Credit and Greatness and in that of Peter Mat. 16. 22. Be it far from thâ—e Lord this shall not be unto thee And if all the Apostles had been put to a Consultation it is like they would have diswaded him as well as Peter did As when he said he was to go up to Ierusalem they said Master the Iews sought of late to stone thee and wilt thou go up thithe And yet how hatefull this was to Christ is clear from the whole strain of the Gospel and from his checking of Peter at that rate of holy severity saving â—o him Get thee behind me Satan And the two Sons of Zebedee Mat. 20. 22. Telling them That they knew not what they asked And Acts 1. 7. He declareth to them that it was not for them to know the times and seasons which the Father had put in his own power A 4th Instance is that which was the very common Tenet and Opinion of Believers in the Primitive times among the Iews viz That the Ceremonial Law of Moses was not fully abrogâ—ted by the coming of Christ and is clear from Acts 21. and Rom. 14. and 1 Cor. 8. 9. and 10. Chapters and that there was much un-clearness in the matter of Christian Liberty they being some way rooted in their Opinion anent the distinction of Meats and Dayes thinking that it was not taken away And though the Apostles determined it yet they could not easily be brought off from it For the 2d Take some aggredging circumstances which will make this the more wonderfull As 1. That Believers may Err be mistaken and go wrong when in a very tender Christian frame As is clear in the forecited instances of the Patriarchs of Iob's Friends and of the Apostles and Believers in the Primitive Times for will any I pray deny but they were in a good frame when they had so much Liberty in Prayer and Preaching and such successe waiting on it so that the Devils were subject to them They were also singularly dauted and dandled in a manner by Christ Jesus himself and had so much access to God and so much of his countenance yet continuing still for a great while in some of these their Errors and Mistakes 2. That this may be not only among the more common sort of Believers but even also amongst the most eminent for are there any more eminent then there we have named viz. The Patriarchs Apostles and Disâ—iples of our Lord And we may add that of Paul and Barnabas Acts 15 36 39. What the particular was about which the contest was we shall not offer now to decide it is sure in the matter one of them was wrong and it is like both in the manner and yet both though themselves to be right 3. There may be mistakes in very concerning and important Truths Is not that a concerning Truth about which Iobs Friends disputed with him viz. That God would not temporally plague a godly man And was not that a concerning Truth anent the nature of Christs Kingdom wherein the Disciples were mistaken and wrong And if we speak of matters of Fact was not that of the Fathers and other Saints in the matter of Bigamy and Poligamy a concerning thing yet all of them thought themselves to be right neither did they for any thing we know go against an explicit challenge of their Conscience in that matter 4ly It is not one or two but many that may be under such mistakes many of the Fathers were mistaken Iob's Friends were so all the Apostles were so many thousands yea ten thousands of the Iews that believed as it were almost all the Believers of that Countrey were so being all zealous of the cerimoniall Law when yet it was abrogat 5ly They may be exceeding fervent and forward in that wherein they Err very bent on it how vehemently and eagerly did Iobs Friends pursue the Dispute to beat him from a sound principle which they held against him how serious were the Apostles in these things wherin they erred How zealous were these sound believing Iews for these Cerimonies even after the matter was otherwise determined by the Apostles And how hot was the contention betwixt Barnabas and Paul Even so hot that they parted company 6thly They may continue in such mistakes notwithstanding many evidences that might serve to bring them off and against many relevant reasons given them to the contrary how many un-answerable arguments were adduced by Iob to perswade his Friends of their mistake And yet had not the Lord himself immediately interposed it 's like they might have dyed without taking with it How often did Christ refute that Opinion touching the nature of his Kingdom by preaching of suffering and of the necessity of his Death by telling his Disciples expresly that his Kingdom was not of this World and that they behoveâ—â—o become as little Children And yet notwithstanding of all this they continued in their Error not only while Christ was with them before his Death but even after his Resurrection as is clear Acts 1. And we know what were the decrees of the Synod held at Ierusalem Acts 15. Concerning Christian Liberty and how it was told the Believers in that time That an idol was nothing and yet they adhered to their mistake about their Liberty and thought still something of the Idol As Paul
to come at it If ye should incline it how can ye shift this Conviction Conscience may be silent for a time but it will speak and speak loud when Sickness and the Cross cometh As we see it did in Iosephs Brethren in such a case many of you will find that Conscience hath been much slighted O! when Death shall come and stair you in the face what a terrible thing will a guilty Conscience be found then to be The terror of mad Dogs of wild Boars of felrce Lyons and Tygers will not be so terrible as an evil Conscience will be when awakened and having death at it's back Nay suppose that Conscience should not be awakened while ye are alive and in this world but that ye should slip and sleep away like Lambs Hauing no bands in your death and that ye should die applauded of all men yet what will ye do with your Conscience or how will ye stand before it when ye shall be sisted before Gods Tribunal and when the Books shall be laid open Are there not many now in hell who if we could hear their language would very readily bid us beware to thwart with our Conscience and to make it our enemy Wo to them that take an evil Conscience with them to their Grave it will be a worm that will gnaw eternally and an inward poyson and Venom Stinging Burning and inflaming the very bowels as it were and all that is within the man beyond what is here conceivable We would therefore earnestly beseech and obtest you soberly to think on it for there are many of you whom this Challenge and Reproof will reach And if we should say otherwise to you who never had it for your aim to keep a good Conscience and who were never exercised to nor seriously taken up with Religion we would but cheat and beguile you Is it possible that ye can thwart with the Law of God and not also thwart with your own Conscience or can you thwart with your Light and your Conscience be still silent Or shall the having and keeping of a good Conscience be ane exercise to Paul And do you think to come so easily and without all labour to it These and other such are palpable evidences of an ill Conscience It is not sure a good Conscience that yeeldeth you peace and quietness in such a Case but it is your deep security and your being regardless of whâ— Conscience sayeth that lull and rock you a sleep For the 2d How cometh this to pass or how can it be that men and women thus thwart with their Conscience Answer 1. It needeth not at all to seem strange seing God and his Word are thwarted with will they think we stand in awe of Conscience who stand not in awe of God and who do not lay weight on his Word to regulate their Conscience by it This is the great ground of peoples thwarting with their Conscience and of their regardlesness of it even their not standing in awe of God 2dly The most part never consider their obligation to Conscience nor what is the consequence of thwarting with or of going cross to their Conscience therefore it is that they care not what Conscience sayeth is there any considerable number of persons who think that thwarting their Conscience is such a terrible thing at it is indeed and as one day it will be found to be Many had rather have a very little money in their hand then the Testimony of their Conscience and this regardlesness ariseth from the ignorance of it and of what great concernment it is 3ly Men even by accustoming and habituating themselves to thwart with their Conscience in lesser things do by little and little stupify and in a manner put out the life of their Conscience and â—s the Apostle hath the word They cauterize or sear it as it were with a hot iron Hence it is that when some truly tender Christians are troubled with and have for the matter of their exercise any little things or things that have in them but the least appearance of evil others will be ready to pray to be saved from such madness and folly because they were never accustomed to nor acquainted with any challenge or exercise of that kind but have taught themselves a way of steping over their Conscience and this provocketh God to give them up to a reprobate mind to do things which are not convenient They harden themselves by resisting the Challenges of the Word and Rod of God and of their own Conscience and are judicially hardned so that either Conscience sayeth nothing at all to them or they do not at all value what it sayeth Thence and therefore it is that the prophanest have most ordinarily fewest challenges and these few that they have they trample on them and stiffle them as but un-regardable and trifling things Whereas the most tender Conscience hath readily manyest challenges Though I deny not but that sometimes challenges will bear in themselves irresistibly on the profanest of men but they are to such very un-welcomeguests and they endeavour quickly to smother them or to drive them out again 4ly Many byass their own Conscience and teach themselves shifts not so much to satisfie their Conscience as how to answer it and to stop the mouth of it and to please their own humour if they can give a reason for such and such a thing such as it is to their Conscience they think they do very well Thus deceiving themselves and being deceived for a deceived heart hath led them aside Hence it comes to pass that in some things men take as much pains to byass their Conscience and to have it saying as they say as one man would take on another to satisfie him and to bring him over to be of his mind in any matter Hence also is the debating and strugling exercise that some will have within themselves before they can be brought to an ingenuous confession of that they are guilty of 5ly People seek to please their Conscience when they cannot byass it and when Conscience challengeth they will make amends As it may be they will pray when they are going to commit such or such a Sin as some profane men will do when they are going to fight a Combate or Duel this is to bribe the Conscience Thus many Papists when they have done an evil turn will give so much to the poor or dot so much to some pious work or use as they judge to be a sort of recompense what else is this but to bribe Conscience in one thing to hold it's tongue in another thing so some though they tiple all the day think they do well if they have been a while in the Church and will seek to stop the mouth of their Conscience with that at night for they could not at all keep quarter to speak so with their Conscience if they had not some form of Religion And therefore they will to speak so be brave
Religious men in some things that they may get a Dispensation to themselves in other things But none of these will be found Law-byding when God cometh to reckon 6ly People in a sort bargain with their Conscience like these spoken of Isa. 28. 15. They make a Covenant with death and are at agreement with hell and like Naaman if that was indeed his meaning they will yeeld Conscience such or such a thing but no more They must have a Dispensation in and a liberty of making Reservations and Exceptions of some one or moe things Though this may not always be done distinctly formaly and explicitly yet it is so on the matter implicitly and interpretatively But that Covenant with death however made directly or indirectly shall be broken and that agreement with hell shall not stand and the hail of Gods wrath will sweep away the refuge of lies and Conscience will speak at last but not with or under such covers of fig-leaves that men now wrap themselves in Therefore I beseech you dally not with Conscience for it 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of it when it is wakened as it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who acteth in and by that Conscience The 4th and last Use Is an Use of Exhortation seing it is the duty of all men and more especially of Believers to walk so as in nothing they offend their Conscience we exhort you in the name of the Lord that ye would order your Conversation so as in nothing your Conscience may have a challenge against you ye will all readily think that this is very reasonable and indeed if we prevail not in this wherein can we expect to prevail with you We seek no more of you but that ye would so walk as that living and dying your Conscience may not flee in your face but may give you this Testimony that ye have aimed to keep a good conscience in all things and to live â—onestly Ye may possibly think that this is a fair general and that he is a very gross and profane man that will deny it and yet we would think that many of you were come a great length in Religion if we could prevail with you but this far as that in all things living and dying as we said ye might study to have a good Conscience And this being no contraverted nor debeatable thing we may with the more confidence press it upon you especially seing it is the very Soul and Life of Religion and where that is not there is nothing of truth in Religion That this exhortation may be the more clear and cogent we shall speak a word to these Three 1. To what this is to keep a good Conscience in your walk 2. To some motives to stir you up to it 3. To some helps to it For the 1. It includeth these Four which should go along in your walk 1. That ye commit no known Sin for there will be no good Conscience if that be adventured on Ye who know that ye should not take liberty in drinking drunk in swearing in profane or idle speaking c. Walk so as ye may not thwart your Knowledge 2ly It taketh in this That as ye would commit no known Sin so ye would ommit no known duty because though every sin doth wrong the Conscience yet the sin that we know and yet commit and the duty that we know and yet omit doth more directly strick against Conscience ye who know that the Sabbath should be kept holy that ye should pray in secret and in your families that ye should not offend one another c. Beware of hazarding on these contrary to your light 3ly It takes in and supposeth that ye do nothing doubtingly for Rom. 14. He that doubteth and doth is damned he is sentenced and judged as to that particular 4ly It includeth this to endeavour to be right in the manner oâ— performing all duties and to have a single end It is not enough to pray or to be in the practice of any other commanded duty that will not quiet the Conscience if ye study not to be right in the manner and to do it for the right end The want of these requisit qualifications of acceptable Duties will make such things as are lawful on the matter turn to be grounds of challenge from the Conscience But somewhat to this purpose hath been spoke of before therefore it hath now been but touched 2dly For Motives 1. There is nothing that is a more clear duty It is written in the hearts of all by nature Heathens have it engraven on their hearts as we see Rom. 2. 15. Their conscience beareth them witness and their thoughts excuse or accuse one another and they have called it a brazen wall to have a good Conscience as to a sound walk in their moral sense 2dly there are many and great advantages attending it As namely 1. It giveth a man much boldness in approaching to God 1 Iohn 3. 20. If our hearts condemn us not then have we boldness towards God when we go to pray 2. It giveth ground also to expect ane hearing 1 Iohn 3. 22. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do these things that are pleasing in his sight and cross not our light and Conscience in neglecting any of them 3ly It keepeth a man from much sin and is that think ye little advantage to have little comparatively at least on a mans score to reckon for 4thly It maketh a mans life cheerful so Prov. 15. 15. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast Which is nothing else but a heart cheerful in God from the testimony of a good Conscience And this is it on the matter which guardeth the the heart and mind so that no cares can considerably disquiet it as we have it Phil. 4. 7. The heart is guarded yea garisoned as the word is with peace that there is no storming nor intaking of it by outward troubles It is the joy that strangers inter medle not with 5thly It is a sweet and strong cordial in affliction when Christians are persecuted by Strangers or by false Brethren are in Sickness in Prison in Perrils by Sea or Land c. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience sayeth the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 12. in the midst of afflictions 6thly And more particularly It is a sweet and soveraign Cordial when death approacheth Hezekiah can say then Remember Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart It putteth the Soul in a posture of dying somewhat like old Simeon and giveth some ground to say with him Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation The Necessity of it will yet further appear if on the other side we look to the disadvantages that wait the want of it though men could be content to live a heartless life
reflect on himself nor look after the testimony of Conscience Yet in intervals this may be win at and would be endeavoured It 's in this case some way as it 's in reference to that command anent praying alwayes or without ceasing though we cannot pray alwayes actually or continually without interruption nor are we obliged to do so yet we should be frequent in it and intermix all our actions with short ejaculations to God and alwayes keep our selves in a praying frame So though we cannot alwayes be actually putting Conscience to it yet frequently we should and more especially if we be about a duty that is more difficult and tickle and wherein we are very ready to go wrong and so to lay the ground of a challenge or wherein Gods honour is some what more then ordinarily concerned 3. It 's required here that we seriously endeavour to keep things right and be weeding out as it were what is wrong as we find Conscience hinting to us for the frame of our hearts as hath been said is very unstable and fickle we would therefore be often mending and righting it as a man doth with a Watch that is easily distempered he often looks to it and puts it right Or it is here as it is with a Pilot who steereth a Vessel that is very easily by a little wind put by her course he beareth up closs in the eye of the wind and when he finds her never so little off her course he steers about again till he set her right or to hold us at the former comparison of an Instrument to preserve which in tune it must not only be at first tempered to a just and harmonious sound and struck upon to give out that sound But when a man hath played a while upon it he must be tempering and tuning it among hands to say so screwing up this and that and the other Peg as the strings slack their benfil else it will not be kept in tune Even so while we are endeavouring to keep a good Conscience some one Peg or other so to speak will readily still be a-unfixing and we would study to bring things back to their right temper and watching that carnalness creep not in upon us The Use of the Doctrine in a word is partly to reprove for neglect of this walk partly to exhort to the diligent and tender practice of it even carefully to advert to Conscience and to endeavour to be in good terms with it in performing every action in eating drinking in bargaining buying selling in riding a journey in hearing praying c and not only to hear what Conscience hath to say but to walk so as Conscience may speak good to us and give us its approving testimony for helping us to keep this good correspondence with our Conscience in all our actions which hath so great a stroak upon a Christian walk upon a chearful and solacious Christian walk we would now add these following directions to those formerly given to the same purpose The 1. whereof is That in undertaking of actions or duties we would be very deliberat clear and fixed 2. We would study to walk soberly and composedly and to be alwayes in a good frame Rashness precipitancy hastiness inadvertency levity and untenderness are very cross to these two directions as is also parting with Conscience as it were in the way and not bringing it up with us 3. We would be much in ejaculatory Prayer frequenting Gods Throne much often darting up blinks unto him and into our own selves and our Consciences intermixing these 4ly We would be much in self examination This is in some respect the Life of a good Conscience for where there is not self examination or reflection we either are not right or else know not if we be right and no thanks to us if we be not wrong 5ly We would study to have an holy indignation at and a strick watch set against the very first risings of any thing that may in the least offend Conscience Alace We oft times observe not our own declinings and fallings from a good Frame nor the stirrings of some one Lust and Corruption or another which would be resisted in the beginning for the one of these weareth out the other 6ly As we would indeavour if we would have a good Testimony from our Conscience much singlenesse and sincerity in the whole of our walk and would in every duty indeavour to be setting our selves as in the sight of God and under his all seeing eye nothing more marreth the Testimony of Conscience then unsinglenesse and nothing contributs more to it then singlenesse It 's a good word that the Apostle hath 2 Cor. 2. v. last We are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ Preaching is a good work yet there were many Preachers that had not a good Testimony from their Conscience in that good work but Paul had it and that which made him to to have it was his sincerity and singlenesse that he spoke as before God in the sight of God without a byasse or any allowed carnalness in his end if we could preach and pray and live and walk thus in all our Actions O! What sweet peace should we have living and dying and O! what skaith and prejudice doth our inadvertancy rashness and carnal walking work to us and how much doth it deprive us of the benefit of this Friend in the time of our need God help us to amend it SERMON I. 2 COR. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards IT is no great bussiness but a very ordinary thing for a man to be chearful when he is in prosperity and hath all things in the World smiling on him though often even in the midst of that laughter the heart is sorrowful and there is an emptinesse and utter insufficiency in all these things to make the heart truly glad but this is a great matter a very rare thing and to be found but with very few viz. In the midst of afflictions reproaches tribulations and persecutions to be cheerful and rejoycing and as it is Isa. 24. 15. to be glorisying God in the midst of the fires This is Pauls practice and exercise here who being as the words before hold forth brought so near death that he even dispared of life who having to do with Professors and Preachers of the Gospel that made it their bussines to defame his Person and to depretiat and disparage his Ministry Who being riviled buffeted persecuted and counted as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things who being alwayes delivered unto death and made a gazing stock to the world to angels to men and being moreover put to wrestle not only
house beside it We will not say but many filthy things may be in a pure Conscience but it does not comport wel with them nor digest them They are as lukewarm-water to a mans Stomach that he cannot keep but must needs vomit up again and he is sick till he do so 5. It s a good token of a pure Conscience when the man cannot endure to be at a distance from Christ but hath many errands to him would fain be near him yea would fain abide constantly with him as well as in him by Faith when he would ly beside him as beside the Fountain to be bleatched there so to speak because he kâ—ws that no sooner wil he go from him but his Conscience will be defiled and he loves so well to be clean and loves Christ so well that makes him clean that he likes well to be always near him This is a good token of a person that hath a pure Conscience Because as it betokens a great loathing of filthiness so it betokens a great respect to Christ on this account as to the maker and keeper of the Conscience clean and on the contrary it s a very evil token when persons will pretend to a pure Conscience when yet they will not go to the Fountain for a very long time if at all and when they go if we may speak so they scarce give their Conscience a dip or a little sprinkling or syning as we use to speak but they are away and gone again But a serious tender and purged Soul will no sooner perceive a â—oul stain or spot but it repairs quickly to the Fountain of Christs Blood to get it washed out And O! but its precious to him and he never thinks himself to be right and well but when he is there and near to him It s true he cannot alwayes be in Prayer or in other Duties of Worship yet he endeavours to be in the habitual exercise of Faith corresponding with him for attaining and keeping a clean and undefiled Conscience SERMON II. HEB. 9. v. 14. and 10 v. 22. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Chap. 10. v. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water IF we knew what sort of Consciences we naturally have and were suitably sensible of the evil state of them it would be to us as good News from a far Countrey to hear how they may be gotten purged and made good and how little soever men think of this now and how ever easie they fancy it to be to get their Consciences solidly quieted and calmed there is a day coming when sleeping and secure Consciences will be awakned and when it will be found more easie to endure the greatest toil and the most exquisit torment on earth then to wrestle with and to be closely pursued and constantly haunted by the terrours of an evil and awakned Conscience which will roar against men as a lyon and tear as it were the very caul of their heart Then O! then they who would never be perswaded before to believe what an evil and defiled Conscience is nor what the benefit and advantage of peace with God and in the Conscience is shall be made to their eternal prejudice to know the truth of both In both these places now read in your hearing the Apostles scope is to commend the transcendent worth and matchless excellency of Jesus Christ and the incomparable efficacy of his most precious blood from this noble notable and non-such effect of it viz. That when nothing else can lay or allay the storm and tempest of an evil Conscience nor purge it from these defiling dead works this blood can do it to purpose and effectually when applyed by Faith when no legal Sacrifice nor washings that sanctified only to the purifying of the flesh could reach perfyting the comer thereto as pertaining to the conscience as it s said Chap. 9. v. 9. Neither could deliver him from an evil Conscience and give him confidence and boldness in drawing neer to God over the belly of many quarrels and grounds of challenge the blood of Christ can as it is Chap. 10. v. 22. We left the other day at speaking somewhat to that natural pollution that throughly affects the hearts and Consciences of all men before they be by the blood of Christ purged and the Apostles taking such pains to hold out this shews plainly that it is a matter of greatest concernment to Christians to know the way how to get their Consciences purged from that deep defilement of sin wherewith they are polluted for is it not his manner to insist in any thing that is not of concernment to the people of God who will readily from the sad and doleful experience of their own pollution be induced to think that this truth is such and ought to be esteemed so by them 2ly Observe That there is nothing that Christians should more aim at and endeavour more to be in the practice of then to be following that way whereby they may get their Consciences purged and more particularly these who have had their Consciences again defiled after that they were once purged no main infected with the Borch or plague hath more need of cleansing from it then the man whose Conscience is infected and defiled with the dead works of sin needs to have it purged from them by the blood of Christ. We shall but very briefly to make way for that which we would mainly be at hint at two or three Observations from both these verses now read put together first then Observe from Chap. 10. v. 22. That a Conscience not purged by the blood of Christ is a very evil thing which we will find to be a very sad truth if we consider the unpurged Conscience either as it s awakned or as it s not awakned but asleep which is ill both ways It s ill if it be awakned and the terrours of God be fresh upon it who can express or adequatly conceive the terribleness of such a case The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmity and wrestle through many crosses but a wounded a wrath-wounded spirit or an ill Conscience rouzed by the terrours of the Almighty God who can bear This hath made some with Iudas the trai tour rather to choise death a violent death inflicted by their own wretched hands on themselves then life whereby they have desperatly run themselves under the wrath of God to the full O poor silly miserable shift and evasion to flee from some smaller fore-parties as it were of the wrath of God on earth into the very strength and main battel of it eternally in hell this is infinitely worse then to leap out of the water into the fire Nay some of the most eminent
Saints by the falling but of some hot scalding drops of Gods fatherly wrath and displeasure have been brought neer the length of wishing rather for strangling though mercifully keeped from it and made to abhorre it then life As it was with non such holy Iob who looked on death a violent death as an easie matter be what it was to be under the sense of wrath and to be set up as the mark for Gods arrows to be shot at the venome whereof to his apprehension drunk up his Spirits though all the while he was kept up in the faith of his interest in God and of his love to him To his purpose Human heavily complains Psal. 88. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted If it be sometimes done thus in the green trees even the greenest what shall be done in the dry Now the Conscience is in a special manner the receptacle of all the terrors of God it must therefore certainly be a very ill thing to have an awakned ill Conscience If an ill and unpurged Conscience be silent and a sleep it s in some respect worse for it hath this black and dreadful awakning abiding it and the longer it sleep and keep silence the the wakning will be the more terrible and its cryes the lowder It s all the while of its silence and sleeping treasuring up more wrath whereby the poor wretch will be payed home with multiplyed increase of terrour and horrour O! that ye knew how evil a thing how very evil a thing it is to have a Conscience not purged from dead works a Conscience not sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ as no stranger can intermiddle with the joy of a mans Spirit who hath a good Conscience a Conscience sprinkled and purged by the blood of Christ so no man can to the full represent to you the exceeding terribleness of the terrour of an evil Conscience when awakned by the wrath of God pleading and pursuing a quarrel with the Soul which quarrel he is infinitly powerful to avenge It would be very suitable to be often enquiring at our selves what is become of the quarrel and what solid ground of peace and confidence towards God is there We will all most certainly and inavoidably be put on this great tryal O! suffer not your selves to be so far deluded as to think that a silent and stupid Conscience is a good Conscience and hath no danger with it which is as great folly as to think that a feeless and benummed member of the body is thereby in â—o danger nay the danger is so much the greater 2ly Observe That though all men naturally be under thiâ— evil of an unpurged Conscience yet in the covenant of Grace God hath laid down a way how sinners may get their Consciences purged This is the Apostles scope in both these scriptures even to lay a solid ground for the consolation of Believers and for a high commendation of Gods grace viz. That by application made to the blood of Jesus there is as a real purging of the Conscience from sin win at as there was access made to persons ceremonially unclean by these sacrifices and washings under the Law to external Church-priviledges being ceremonialy cleansed thereby which is not so to be understood as if the sin committed had never really and actually been so as the purged Believer should neither remember it nor repent of it that is not at all the meaning of the Doctrine but it is to be understood legally that as to the removing of the guilt of sin and as to his having peace with God and in his own Conscience it is purged so as sin cannot stand in the way of his expecting Gods favour nor simply in the way of his delighting himself therein more then if it had never been though the man be the debitor yet there is a way laid down in the Gospel covenant to declare him free even as a man that has plaid the dyvour or bankerupt though he cannot simply and in all respects be made as if he had never been so yet by anothers paying of the debt he is before the Judge acquited and is reckoned free of the debt as if it had never been contracted or owing and as to any effect that might in law follow on it to his prejudice just so is it here with the sinner that flees to the blood of sprinkling and the word purging sufficiently holds it out especially when it is joyned with coming with boldness and confidence to the throne of God for if it should be said to such a sinner how canst thou how darst thou come to God with such confidence that hast an ill Conscience through so much sin He answers Let us draw near or come having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience So that as to a confident approaching to God and application of Christs righteousness persons who have made application of the blood of sprinkling may come to God with as much holy and humble boldness as if the Conscience had never been defiled and pollured and the experience of the Saints who in this way have found peace and confidence is a great evidence and confirmation of the truth of it 3ly To come a little nearer We may Observe in the negative That there is no way for a man that has once had his Conscience defiled and polluted with sin to be cleansed and purged from it but by the blood of Christ If we look through this 9th Chapter from the beginning and the following 10th Chapter We will find that the Apostles scope is to prove that it is not the blood of Bulls or of Calves nor any one or all of these ceremonial Sacrifices washings or purgations that can do the business as he more particularly cleareth v 9. of the 9. Chap. Where the Apostle insinuats That though God appointed many means and midâ—es of purgation yet if there had been no more but these they could never have effected the perfyting of a man as pertaining to the Conscience It s only the blood of Jesus that hath this effect And this one reason will confirm it viz. That there is no other thing but the blood of Christ that can satisfie Gods justice and remove the quâ—rrel that is betwixt him and the guilty sinner it s he only in whom God is well pleased he is our peace and there is no name under heaven given whereby a sinner can be saved but the name of Iesus And till God be satisfied the Conscience cannot be quiet seeing then that nothing can satisfie Gods Justice buâ— his blood there can nothing purge and satisfie the Conscience but it Therefore David prayes Psal. 51. Purge me with hysop and I shall be clean Where he allâ—ds and looks to the blood of Christ that was â—ypifyed by the sprinkling of Blood with a bunsh of hysop under the law as the Apostle doth here As the Use of this Doctrine