art verily faulty But is it united to fear God's name There is none that Conscience bids thee pursue by desire like him or binds thee to please in and by thy duties like him or to promote his designs of glory equal with him Psal 86.11 c. 73.25 1 Thes 2.4 2. Enquire into the offices whereunto it directs thee Dost thou renounce the hidden things of dishonesty durst you not walk in craftiness or handle the Word of God deceitfully by contempering flesh and spirit in thy work as Vintners do in their Wines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But wouldst thou every office thou presentest shouldst be a pure offering every prayer a pure prayer And that which thou principally covetest therein is that thou mayst call on the Lord out of a pure heart 2 Cor. 4.2 Mal. 1.11 Job 16.17 2 Tim. 2.22 3. Enquire into the openness simplicity and unguilful disposition of thy Conscience What hast thou an heart and an heart as those Psal 12.2 marg one for God another for Baal for the world Miserable the pure Conscience is a plain Conscience 't is clothed with simplicity and godly sincerity 't is a spirit in which is no guile Durst you not double then in the matters of Conscience nor dissemble in the matters of corruption Art willing God should see the worst of thee and shew thee the very worst of thy self Dost thou expose all to his search and wouldst approve all in his sight and not so much as have thy heart secretly enticed from himself This is a pure Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal 32.2 1 Chron. 12.33 Psal 119.23 24. Job 31.27 2. Is thy Conscience purified from its defilement I know you are not purified from all degrees of sin are you from all the kinds of sin You are not purified from the actual stain of them but are you from the habitual state in them this is God's promise and the Gospel-purity of the Conscience I will cleause you from all your filthiness Ezek. 36.25 26 33. c. 37.23 I know none can say and speak truly his Heart is clean from all adhesion of sin to him or from activity of sin in him But can you say my heart is clean from the approbation of any sin by it and from the allowance of any sin in it 1 What say you to an habitual course in sin I know there are wicked works found with you but is there no wicked way found in you Do you refrain your feet from every evil way Though you fall into the mire with the sheep do not you wallow in the mire with the Swine Do you wash off the repeated spots of your sins by the renewed streams of godly sorrow to repentance else never call it a pure Conscience Psal 139.24 Psal 119.101 2 Pet. 2.22 Mich. 6.11 2 What say you to the authority and command of sin Doth Conscience woo and welcome it or witness and war against it and wash it self afresh in the blood of Christ and waters of Contrition when it hath contracted guilt and filth by the power or policies of it Is Conscience pure from its reign though she cannot preserve you from its rage Sin may pollute your Conscience and for present captivate it But doth not Conscience give up her self to the commands thereof but grieves rather that she should so be contaminated And when captivated doth Conscience raise complaints in and recollect the other powers of the Soul And doth she run to Christ renew the quarrel and reinforce her strength for another combate and resolve never to quit the field till she carrieth the victory and the Crown be fixed upon the head of Christ This is a pure Conscience Rom. 6.12 23. c. 7.15 ult 3 What say you to the hearts closing with sin Are you pure from the indulgence of sin though you cannot be from the in-dwelling of sin Do you hate all false ways Is there never an Herodias that your Hearts hug and cherish Are you for taking away all iniquity Is thy Conscience afraid of all abhorrent from all arms against all Secret as well as open Such as serve the interest of the flesh as well as such as straiten it And would you keep your selves unspotted from the world unspotted from the flesh as well as unswallowed uâ— by the world or by the flesh This speakâ—â— you to have a pure Conscience Psal 119.104 128. Hos 14.2 Psal 19.12 13. Jam. 1.27 Jude 23. Thirdly What is thy Conscience purified unto 1 To what as thy employment The pure Conscience is for the purest carrlage after the purest Copy 1 Job 3.3 This is the Temple of God the very floor of whose house as was that of Solomon's is over-laid with pure Gold both within and without 1 Cor. 3.17 1 King 6.30 Search the acts and offices of Conscience then is Godliness the greatest employment which it commands the other powers of the Soul and wherein it most congratulates it self If it be purified from sin 't is for the service of God if from dead works 't is to serve the living God 2 Tim. 1.3 Tit. 2.14 Heb. 9.14 2 To what as thy enjoyment The pure Conscience is for the purest comforts not so much for those which run out of the muddy Cisterns of Creatures but for such as rise out of the unmixed springs of Communication with God in Christ and the intimate sense of his quickning and conserving influences Nor doth it ever enjoy it self with that serenity as in the evidence of God's grace to him or in the exercise of his grace in and by him This is its rejoycing this its rest Psal 65.4 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal 116.7 Enquire then what are those enjoyments wherein Conscience giveth thee the greatest content and complacency Are they the impurer objects and operations of Sense or the purer acts and objects of the spirit of Faith Here is that pure river of the water of life wherein the pure Conscience doth most bath and bless it self Phil. 4.7 Rom. 15.13 Rev. 22.1 3 To what as thy end The pure Conscience puts forth its acts both imperate and elicite upon the purest accompt and for the purest ends with pure Conscience The Intentions to which it determineth the Will are not as the Feet in Nebuchadnezar's Image part of Iron and part of Clay but like that Image's Head of fine Gold 'T is a Conscience toward God 2 Tim. 1.3 Dan. 2.32 33. 1 Pet. 2.19 Enquire then whether the praise of God be that principal end which you prefer in and above all that Conscience carrieth you out to enterprize whether you do not mingle your glory with his or make his glory serve yours If God hath purified thy Conscience it is peculiarly for himself as the sole supream end and object of it And the Apostle offers us this observation That whatsoever is done heartily i.e. of pure Conscience is done unto the Lord and not unto men Phil. 1.20 Joh. 5.44 c. 12.43 Tit. 2.14 Col. 3.23 Ephes 6.6 7. Q. 5. How may
we get or obtain a pure Conscience Answ This enquiry is not how we may get it pure from some new actual tincture of which see Q. 7. but from its old habitual taint and pollution for which take these Directions 1. Behold the necessity of a pure Conscience and be awakened 1. Without this there is no Society with God He is of purer eyes than to entertain you in your habitual impurity There is no having nor so much as hoping Communion with or a propriety in him unless Conscience be purified in you Hab. 1.13 Psal 18.26 1 Joh. 3.3 Jam. 4.8 2 Without this there is no Salvation by God Wash thine Heart as ever thou wouldst to Heaven There is nothing entereth which is unclean that happy place is reserved only for the pure in heart Jer. 4.14 Rev. 21.27 Psal 24.3 4. A polluted Conscience is neither fit for the business nor blessedness of that pure and perfect condition 3 Without this there is no serving of God at least with acceptance to him or with advantage to you The Heart must be purified that would attempt his Presence Josh 24.19 Heb. 9.14 c. 10.22 Jam. 4.8 Till Conscience be purified the pure God will not endure thy presence nor will thy impure Conscience easily bear his Presence 4 Without this there is no sincerity in thee Clean or pure acts will never put ye beyond an hypocrite without a clean or pure Heart 'T is not a pure Conversation but a pure Conscience that speaks thy condition prosperous and secures from the condemnation of Pharisees Psal 73.1 2 Tim. 1.3 Mat. 23.25 29. 5 Without this there is no security for thee thy condition can never be safe till Conscience be sanctified All that God secures Conscience is but on this condition If thou be pure and upright And for the security of Conscience 't is grounded upon the sincerity of Conscience 't is first pure then peaceable as David points us in his prayer and 't is the pure in Heart are first pronounced Blessed by our Saviour 1 Thes 5.23 Job 8.6 Jam. 3.17 Ps 51.7 8. Mat. 5.8 2. Behold the nature of an impure Conscience and be ashamed Thou art not so pure in thine own eyes but thou art as impure and vile in God's eyes Be convinced of this and thou wilt be cleansing that and begging him to cleanse thee Prov. 30.12 Isa 65.5 Mich. 6.11 13. Job 40.4 1 Think what is defiled Conscience that choice that curious piece that so dignifieth Man next the Angels and differenceth him from the Brutes Conscience that is God's Tabernacle in Man and maketh Man the Temple of God Conscience that is chief among the faculties and is under God to command the whole frame of our Hearts and Lives What Conscience that by Creation was like the Nazarites purer than Snow whiter than Milk more ruddy than Rubies whose polishing was of Saphire should be now blacker than a coal and she that was clothed in Scarlet should embrace Dunghils That thy Gold should become thus dim and the most fine Gold be changed into dirt This cannot but procure a Lamentation especially when thou shalt consider that this thou hast contracted upon thy self who knowest how great a crime it is if through thy means the Conscience but of a weak brother should be desiled Prov. 20.27 1 Cor. 3.17 Lam. 4.1 9. 1 Cor. 8.7 2 Think what it doth defile A defiled Conscience 1. defiles all of thee it defiles the Man the whole Man the Spirit Soul and Body are defiled even the Mind the most pure and precious part is defiled wheresoever the Conscience is defiled Mat. 15.18 1 Thes 5.23 Tit. 1.15 2. It defiles all to thee there is nothing pure to thee The taking of God's Covenant into thy mouth thy very Table-comforts thy Meat become a sin and snare to thee Conscience being unclean whatever it toucheth doth become unclean likewise Tit. 1.15 Psal 50.16 17. 69.22 Lev. 5.2.3 It defiles all that comes from or is done by thee It streams sin upon every service Thy Civil actions thy very plowing is sin and thy sacred actions thy very praying is sin likewise For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Mat. 15.18 Prov. 21.4 c. 28.9 Job 14.4 3. Betake ye to the known provision which God hath made for purifying the Conscience and be active The pure Conscience is from God as the principal Cause 't is he that purifieth and he that pacifieth the Conscience He that cureth its diseases and cleanseth it from defilements He creates and so the Heart is clean 1 Thes 5.23 Ezek. 36.25 Psal 51.7 10. But though it be his work principally 't is our work partly too as himself presseth it Wash ye make you clean c. Isa 1.16 'T is his work to bless the means unto purifying and our work to be in the use of those means whereby he purifieth Asking the mercy of him and applying the means to us 1 Then ask this mercy from him with the greatest ardour thou may'st acknowledging thy pollution with shame and sorrow aggravating it also in his presence abhorring thy self and acknowledg with thy impotency his power as who alone can purifie thee So David Psal 51.2 11. His promises of it do not preclude but should provoke rather thy prayers for it Ezek. 36.25 cum 37. 2 Apply thee to the means and the means to thee with the greatest activity thou can'st These are the Word Water and Blood * See Sheffield's good Cons c. 2. p 33. c. 1 The Word Ye are clean through the Word saith Christ Job 15.3 This is not only pure in it self but purifying the Soul that attendeth the preaching of it Psal 19.8 Joh. 17.17 Ephes 5.26 Submit thy Conscience to the Commands of it Purity is the end of them and will be the effect in thee 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.22 If you obey Then 2. Skill thy Conscience in the Promises of it Every Promise is both a motive to and means for cleansing as of the flesh so likewise of the Spirit But there is an especial Promise in God's absolute Covenant I will sprinkle clean water on you and ye shall be clean Which you may urge upon your self in secret and urge God with in supplication 2. Cor. 7.1 Jer. 33.8 Ezek. 3.6.25 cum 37. 2 Water Ezek. ibid. Ephes 5.26 The Sacrament of Water should not only be remembred by thee but re-inforced on thee by due and doubled consideration Though I cannot say to thee as Ananias said unto Saul Arise and be Baptised and wash away thy sins if thou wert baptized in thy infancy yet I must counsel thee to apply thy Baptism by fetching arguments from thence and by eying the ability and efficacy of the Blood and Spirit of Christ thereby exhibited till thou findest the answer thereunto of a good Conscience toward God And then thy Infant-baptism will be as effectual to the washing away of thy sins in thy adult estate as the Circumcision of the Hands was
of thy estate How is the most fine Gold changed Consternation fills my heart the crown is fallen from my head the joy of my heart ceaseth But especially thou must deplore the signalness of thy sins Wo unto me that I have sinned I will be sorry for my sin My sin is ever before me Against thee thee only have I sinned c. Lam. 4.1 c. 5.15 16 17. Psal 38.18 51.3 4. 'T is not sorrow simply but sorrow for sin which is the salve for a wounded spirit Yea this is not only a salve to heal but a sacrifice to expiate Psal 41.4 51.17 So that were thy heart more broken for sin it would be less burdened with sighing For this would interest God in thy case The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Nay this would engage him in the cure He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds He undertaketh to cordial and revive them yea to come down and dwell in them Psal 34.18 147.3 Isa 57.15 3 Return from thy sins unto the Lord in conversion Whence are all thy maladies but from turning to them from him And what remedy is there without returning to him from them Lo this is God's own prescription who is the great Physician and hath his promise of a cure sealed up with it and the Saints probatum est subscribed to it Hear how he calls encourageth cheareth quickeneth thee Hos 14.1 7. Jer. 3.1 12 13 14 22. Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your back-slidings When will you speak back to him Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God who alone hast right in us and art alone able to give rest to us The misery is men turn into themselves or unto second causes with Ephraim to be healed of their wound and then cry out with Jeremy Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed And thence complain and fly out even against God's faithfulness Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyar and as waters that fail To such strange heights of diffidence do such diversions sometimes drive them But alas they disoblige God from comforting them by these courses of theirs and open a way for severer corrections while they decline him and deifie others Hos 5.13 14 15. Jer. 15.18 19. Psal 13.1 2 3. 77.7 11. Come then and let us return unto the Lord. There is no recovery of our peace out of his presence 'T is he woundeth and his hands make whole Return we hither and we are sure to recover He hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up We have his promise for it Hos 6.1 2. Zach. 1.3 Job 5.18 Deut. 4.29 30 31. Direct 5. Take the Balsome that is in the blood of Christ Is there no balm in Gilead Is there no Physician there Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered Though there were none there that could heal their civil wounds Isa 8.22 c. 46.11 yet there is enough here to cure thy spiritual wounds For the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin cureth and redeemeth from all iniquity 1 Joh. 1.7 Tit. 2.14 His blood is the most sovereign confection and 〈◊〉 blessed self the most skilful Chirurgeon and Physitian No sore no sickness ever came amiss to him He hath healed infirmities of eighteen yea of eight and thirty years standing Isa 53.5 Mar. 2.17 Luk. 13.11 12. Joh. 5.5 c. Yea he is not only the Physiâ—ian but the Physick as one saith * D. Reynolds on Hos 14. Serm. 4. and gives himself his own flesh his own blood for a purgative a cordial a plaister to the Soul of his patient There is no balm for Conscience like the blood of Christ § 14 It both cleanseth and comforteth It purgeth her from dead works and pacifieth her with the living God and like the tree of life it is both for meat and for medicine Heb. 9.14 c. 10.19 22. Eph. 2.13 14. Ezek. 47.12 See then that you apply this blood to you and see him applying it for you 1 See that you apply his blood to you The best Balsoms become ineffectual without a befitting application Conscience is the part affected apply this plaister close to it You are not come to blackness and darkness but to the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.18 24. Think it not enough that Christ's blood might be shed for you but it must be sprinkled on and by you The remission of your sins both in it self and in the sense of it doth immediately flow from this not that We have sinned and so God is provoked This is the burden and matter of pain to Conscience Christ is the propitiation for our sins this breatheth forth peace to Conscience But how is he the propitiation for our sins Through faith in his blood So that without an intervening act and application of faith Conscience is not blessed with peace notwithstanding the blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Rom. 3.25 Come then and apply this choice and happy Balsom the precious blood as Peter calls it of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.19 Apply and bring down the vertue of it to thine own case and condition Oh the advantages of an holy application which Christ assures us of under the metaphor of drinking his blood Joh. 6.54 55 56. Accept it then from the hands of thy dear Physician who to save thy blood hath shed his own and hath washed us from our sins in his own blood Appropriate it especially to the ulcerous and diseased part Take it for thine own 'T is no presumption while the Physician tenders it to thee and that freely and tells thee thou must not so much as dream of life without drinking his blood i.e. without applying and appropriating it Act. 20.28 Rev. 5.9 c. 1.5 c. 22.17 Joh. 7.37 c. 6.53 I allow that there is a difference between the act of the Will in chosing and accepting of Christ for mine and the act of the Conscience whereby I know and am assured that he is mine and I am his And though the latter be only immediately productive of this peace yet the former is eminently preparative thereunto and doth beget an initial and inchoative peace at least it will baffle many troubles Go then as far with Conscience as you can in it in answering her pleas from hence if you cannot accord all in peace Doth Conscience suggest the foulness of thy sins speak back again to Conscience His blood was shed for many for the remission of sins yea and of my sins if I am but throughly willing to take him for my Lord and Saviour Doth Conscience tell thee of thy several forfeitures and spiritual vassallage to Divine justice Tell Conscience his blood hath obtained eternal Redemption yea there is redemption for me through his blood if I can receive
it self evil as in the Polygamy of the Patriarchs And should not this power be good whose power is so great both for evil and for good 5. From the Principles it owneth 1. In Nature Doth not even Nature it self teach me that my Conscience be good whatsoever pains it cost me or whatever be the persecutions from men wherewith it may be consequenced The very Heathens have therefore prescribed means and pressed motives 2. In Grace how much more am I taught to exercise my self herein and engage my self hereunto by all the principles of godliness and by all the Promises of the Gospel 6. From the Offices it is to perform Can my Conscience do well if it be evil do not its Offices for God require that it be holy and good Conscience hath the office of 1. A Minister and is therefore obliged to be good a bad Minister being the worst of Men there is little hopes of its ministring good unless it be a good Minister 2. Of a Magistrate who should be most eminently and exemplarily good and a Minister to thee for good 3. Of a Witness 4. And of a Judg which must be good or they will do evil do evil themselves and not deliver Souls from extremity and injustice 3ly Direct 3 Apply you to the Causes of a good Conscience The Causes improved the effect will ensue These are principal or less principal 1 The Principal is God Every good and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of Lights The good Conscience is from the God of Conscience The God that made thy Conscience can alone make thy Conscience good Acknowledg him then in all thy ways and he shall direct thy paths Ask of him by prayer and strong crys as David did Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes Incline my heart to thy Testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes Create in me a clean heart O God Jam. 1.17 Psal 119.36 68 80. 1. It proceedeth from the good-will of the Father The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding 'T is He that putteth Wisdom in the inward parts and giveth Understanding to the Heart Press thy Heart to consider it and plead with him in Supplication who delights to be urged with the liberousness of his own acts of Grace and giveth liberally to him that asketh Job 32.8 c. 38.36 Jam. 1.5 2. It is procured by the great worth of the Son who was made sin for us to take sin from us and in the likeness of sinful flesh by a sacrifice for sin hath condemned sin in the flesh and so brings us to God 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Joh. 3.5 Rom. 8.3 marg 1 Pet. 3.18 The good Conscience costs no less price than the Blood of God the Blood of Christ was shed that the besmeared Conscience might be sprinkled and purged for the peculiar service of God Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 10.22 c. 9.4 Apply then the meritorious and medicinal vertue that is in the Blood of Christ for cure of those maladies and bruises that are in thy Conscience Apply it by an hand of Faith make it thine Put thou on the Lord Jesus Christ Bring it down to thy case let this Blood be sprinkled on thy Conscience apply it in ardent prayer come unto God by him present his Merit with thy malignity to Divine mercy Plead his worthiness in thy unworthiness his stripes for thy healing the righteousness of Christ for the renovation of thy Conscience Pursue thy petitions upon the price he hath paid 3. It is produced by the gracious work of the Spirit If Conscience be spiritual and gracious it comes from the spirit of Grace if pure if holy 't is by the power of the Holy Ghost 'T is carnal till the Spirit comes never spiritual till born of the Spirit It is the spirit of life which sets it free from the law of sin and death Joh. 3.5 Rom. 15.13 16. Rom. 8.2 What Evangelical Truths are imprinted on the good Conscience they are of the Spirit 's writing 2 Cor. 3.3 What Evangelical Testimony is imparted by the good Conscience 't is of the Spirit 's working of his working for us who also witnesseth therewith in us Rom. 8.15 c. 9.1 Put not off the Spirit then in its motions and essays upon you which he maketh ply to him with all diligence and dearness put him not off with delays much less shouldst thou provoke him with a denial Let Steven speak why the Jews were uncircumcised in heart Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost Act. 7.51 Rather pray in the Spirit which God hath promised to pour out And who knows but Beggars may be blest in that branch of the Promises of his Grace I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Prov. 1.23 Luk. 11.13 Ezek. 36.27 2 The less principal Causes are 1. an operative faith and love within you 2. the ordinances for faith and love without you 1. Let there be an operative faith and love within you These like Judah and Simeon his Brother come up into each others lots to subdue the Canaanites and set right the Conscience Let there be Charity out of a pure heart and Faith unfeigned and thou canst not be left without a good Conscience which the Apostle lodgeth in the midst of these as the Tabernacle of the Congregation was in the midst of the Camp Judg. 1.3 1 Tim. 1.5 Numb 2.17 Both of them have a blessed operation and tendency first to purifie then to pacifie the Conscience Of which hereafter 2. Live in the Ordinances for Faith and Love Be much in Praying Hearing Reading Meditation Conference the end of all these Commandments of God is to make thy Conscience good Cry after him and continue in them for this end make God's end thy errand to them and your heart shall live that seek God 1 Tim. 1.5 Psal 69.32 You wrong your own Souls that wave the Ordinances of our Saviour How many an evil Conscience hath been healed and cured by them How many a bad Conscience have been made good and how many a good Conscience have been made better The way is as open to you as it was to them follow God in them forsake not the ways of his Gospel you shall know if you follow on to know the Lord. Continue at the gates of Wisdom come for Wisdom to her gates and thou shalt not come off a loser yea if thou criest after knowledg and liftest up thy voice for understanding If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Prov. 8.33 ad finem Hos 6.3 Prov. 2.1 6. 4. Attend Conscience throughout Direct 4 If Conscience be not good throughly 't is not good truly See that this goodness go throughout Conscience To this is requisite 1. a right apprehension of
to the adult Jews who were then Circumcised and not till then with the Circumcision of the Heart * See Fords pract use of Infant-â—aptis Rom. 6.3 4. Act. 22.16 1 Pet. 3.21 Phil. 3.11 12 13. 2. The waters of sorrow or sincere repentance Contrition will cleanse thy Conscience Evangelical tears will expunge these tinctures No dirt will fix where these drops fall witness David Repentance will blot out these stains from thy Soul and thy sins also before God Smite thy rocky Heart then with the Rod of God and the Waters will gush out Draw Water and pour it out before God Repentance is called the washing of the Heart from wickedness Ezek. 18.30 31. Jer. 31.18 19. Psal 51. Act. 3.19 Exod. 17.6 1 Sam. 7.6 Jer. 4.14 3. The Waters of the Spirit sanctifying and regenerating the Spirit is not only compared to Water as quenching the drought of the Soul but as cleansing the defilements of the Soul Joh. 7.37 38 39. Ezek. 36.25 Conscience will continue sinful till he comes and cleanses its filth is not to be washed off by any work of flesh but by the effectual work of God's Spirit 'T is God's Spirit must sanctifie our Spirits or we stick in the sink and mud of our sin and uncleanness Isa 4.4 Rom. 15.16 1 Pet. 1.2 Resist not the Spirit then but receive those influences he sheds abroad Listen not to the flesh look within the vail of the Covenant where God hath promised to put his Spirit within you yea and to pour out his Spirit on you and plead his Promise in your Prayers Ezek. 11.19 Isa 44.3 Psal 51.12 143.10 3 Blood The Bath for Conscience is the Blood of Christ Here is the Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness this cleanseth from all sin and there is not any sin which doth not need this cleansing or any power of the Soul Both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministry were to be purged by Blood Moses sprinkled therewith both the Book and all the People Consider Conscience then in any capacity it needs this cleansing as a Book as a Witness as a Judg as it 's the Mansion of God and as it ministers to and in Man Zach. 13.1 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 19. 23. Sprinkle then this Blood of Jesus upon thy Conscience The People were to sprinkle the Blood with a bunch of Hysop dipt therein as well as the Priests Exod. 12.22 Lev. 16.14 To note there must be an Application of Christ's blood made by us as well as an Application made to us of this Blood by Christ and thus have we our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience as by the Spirit on his part sprinkling it on us so by Faith on our part which sprinkleth us with it Faith is that bunch of Hysop which being dipt in this Blood purifieth the Heart Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean saith the Psalmist Purifying their hearts through faith saith Peter Heb. 10.22 1 Pet. 1.2 Psal 51.7 Act. 15.9 Believe then in the Lord Jesus Faith is not only effectual through the Blood of Christ to purge the Conscience from the guilt of sin to the justification of thy person but also from the filth of sin to the Sanctification of thy Nature Rom. 5.1 Act. 26.18 4. Behold the noted excellency of a pure Conence and be assiduous For at 1 Mind the noted place of Conscience it 's the upmost part of the Soul next under God and above all that is in Man A pure Conscience is of Angelical perfection Purity is the Gem and Diamond in the Crown both of the clear and pure Conscience this renders it like the New Hierusalem a City of pure Gold 2 The noted power of this Conscience The pure Conscience hath a power of converting even the basest Mettals like the Philosopher's Stone into pure Gold afflictions into advantages To the pure Conscience all things are pure like that Perfume which the Lord prescribeth Moses whatever they are asunder being tempered together they are pure and holy 1 Pet. 2.19 c. Tit. 1.15 Exod. 30.35 3 The noted price of this Conscience What cost it no less rate than the precious Blood of the pure and immaculate Lamb of God What print carrieth it no lower than the resemblance of the purest Essence and Excellency of God Of what preciousness and pleasance doth God account it Of no less than his Habitation his Throne his Resting-place Heb. 9.14 cum 1 Pet. 1.19 1 Joh. 3.3 Isa 57.15 4 The noted Priviledges of this Conscience How great here boldness in prayer the blessing of peace the beauties of God's Presence c. Heb. 10.22 Phil. 4.7 Psal 18.26 But how glorious hereafter in a pure and perfect state most pure and beatifick sights Psal 24.3 4. Mat. 5.8 But consider this and you cannot be careless God Glory Christ Comfort do all severally bespeak Conscience as Christ sometime did Peter If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me But wash this and thou art clean every whit Joh. 13.8 10. Q. 6. How may we preserve our Conscience pure Though I must remit you for fuller satisfaction to what hath been already spoken Chap. 2. Q. 6. Yet I shall not refuse to subjoyn something more in this place 1. Continue at your work Conscience is clean but not all therefore is neither all your work done for its cleansing till hope pass into enjoyment ye ought to be purifying both the Promises hoped for and the principle of hope put upon and perswade unto it 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Joh. 3.3 Neglect not any of the means already prescribed you Qu. 5. Direct 3. The same word and work of Faith Hope c. which made thy Conscience pure will maintain its purity 2. Keep Conscience to its work Keep it doing and you keep it from defiling The pure Gold never rusts or cankers till it rests or is coffered up Paul kept it on employment and so kept it pure 2 Tim. 1.3 Act. 24.16 Conscience hath its work within door upon it self and upon the whole Soul and Spirit and without door upon the Sense and their Objects and Organs If it rests like a standing Pool it putrifieth and gathers stench If it runs like a living Fountain it purifieth it self and whatever is put into it 3. Keep Conscience upon its watch Consciscience is the Centinel to watch over and for it self and the whole Soul beside Watch therefore in all things He that would be clean must be circumspect 2 Tim. 4.5 Psal 119.9 1 Watch against Sinners These will be throwing forth and throwing on of dirt Press not unnecessarily into their Society Be not partakers with their sin keep thy self pure Isa 57.20 Ephes 5.7 11. 1 Tim. 5.22 Yea in the very Society of the Saints be yet still upon thy Watch looking diligently One defection hath defiled many and the more weak thou art the more watchful be thou A weak Conscience is defiled quickly Heb. 12.15 1 Cor. 8.7 2 Watch
exercise of his graces in you while he is evidencing his grace to you He requireth your offerings and the first fruits of you oblations with all your holy things and hath promised I will accept you with your sweet savour Cant. 7.12 13. Heb. 12.28 Ezek. 20.40 41. And now God is pleased by his own promise to undertake for his peoples peace while they persist in such ways as these Isa 26.3 c. 30.15 c. 32.17 4 Be more steady in the reciprocations of love with him Give him love for love Are his desires towards thee Let thy desires also be towards him Doth he rejoyce over thee do thou also rejoyce in him 1 Joh. 4.19 Psal 33.1 21. Isa 26.8 O love the Lord all ye his Saints While you live in Love there is an harmony of hearts and you 'l have no leisure for listning after those sinful avocations which displease God and disturb the Conscience Love will be adhering to and abiding with God and assimilating you to his goodness Besides love casts and keeps out tormenting fears and is of that transcending and inexpugnable force that like death it beareth down all before it Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it Psal 31.23 5.11 12. 70.4 1 Joh. 4.18 Cant. 8.6 7. Direct 5. Keep up a steady confidence and faith in Christ He was the cause and is the conservator of Evangelical peace It was procured by his Death and is preserved by his Intercession Herein he doth not only appear in our natures but for our sakes and in our steads as our Agent to preserve a corresponderce and prevent controversies as our Attâ—rney to plead our Cause and promote our Concernments And whereas every sin tends to a breach of peace he takes upon him to accord the difference and appease justice and he doth it not only by presenting our petitions for peace but by pleading the perpetual vertue of his own pacifick sacrifice and perâ—â—â—â— satisfaction for us Heb. 9.24 c. 6.20 â— Job 2.1 2. Rev. 8.2 3. Heb. 9.7 12. Now your work is to come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them that thus come Heb. 7.25 You may neither come in prayer nor by faith immediately unto God but through him in the vertue of his Mediation and Intercession Eph. 3.12 Col. 3.17 2 Corinth 3.4 Upon every new breach that your sin seems to make 1 Set the principle of faith at work afresh upon him An active faith will appropriate and draw the benefits of his Intercession into our own chanel He is entred by his own blood into the holy place for us He appeareth in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.12 14. It apprehends and eyes Christ as one that is herein about our business answering our accuser accomplishing our absolution according our crimes or charges with divine justice advocating our case with the Father and that we may be accepted before the Lord as one that bearing our names before the Lord upon his two shoulders yea upon his heart as a memorial before the Lord continually as the high Priest did when he went into the Holy of Holies Rev. 12.10 Heb. 9.7 11 c. 1 Joh. 2.1 Exod. 28.12 29 38. Yea an active faith will be able from the influence and efficacy of his Intercession to argue down both inward fears and outward force whatsoever may seem to introduce a charge or impeach the peace of our Consciences She concludes Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him And challengeth them to speak or do their worst she is so secured in him Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Heb. 7.25 Rom. 8.33 34. 2 Send up the prayers of faith to him or rather to God by him Put thy petitions for preserving thy peace into his hands and they are sure to pass He will deliver them and the Father will not deny him 'T is the office he undertaketh to offer up the prayers of the Saints and he will therewith offer up his own incense 1 Joh. 5.14 15. Joh. 16.23 Rev. 8.3 If you would maintain Conscience maintain this confidence His Intercession affords you abundant arguments Seeing that we have a great High-priest that is passed into the heavens Let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need 1 Joh. 3.21 22. Heb. 4.14 16. Direct 6. Keep close to the Covenant of Peace Conscience fetcheth its comforts out of the Covenant of Grace 'T is its armory in times of Spiritual war and its treasury in times of Spiritual peace 2 Sam. 23.5 Heb. 6.18 2 Cor. 10.4 c. 4.7 Learn to be more conversant in it and keep close to it 1 Not only in fulfilling the condition it propoundeth of which before Q. 6. Though all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies 1 Chron. 16.15 16 17. Psal 25.10 103.17 18. 2 But by faith in the Promises it contains Every promise would thus end in peace for what is the Gospel but a Gospel of peace Or what are Gospel-truths but the glad tydings of peace Abraham and Sara had enough to perplex and intricate them but faith in the promise kept them immovable and unshaken Rom. 10.15 Gal. 6.15 Rom. 4.18 22. Heb. 11.11 God hath laid up immutable grounds of Comfort in his immutable Covenant If the fruits are mutable 't is because our faith is mutable The Promises are all Yea and Amen but our faith is yea and nay Let faith eye them more steadily and embrace them more strongly So did the Patriarks and they lived and died in peace Heb. 6.17 18. c. 11 13. 3 By frequent views of its perpetuity and continuance The mountains indeed shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee nor the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isa 54.10 'T is a sure Covenant We have his word his oath his seal to confirm it to us and his own love and faithfulness are lain at pledg for the performance of it 2 Sam. 23.5 Psal 89.33 34 35. 2 Cor. 1.22 When ever therefore Conscience is ready to misgive thee call her hither and mind her of the immutability of Gods Covenant in the mutability of thy condition Tell her Thus saith the Lord if you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken with you Jer. 33.20 21. c. 31.35 36 37. Direct 7. Keep on in the Commandments of God Keep up duty if you would keep off disquiet Peace of Conscience is preserved by obedience not only
and rest upon him Doth Conscience terrifie thee with being an enemy to God and God's being an enemy to thee Tell her the blood of his Cross hath made reconciliation for the sins of his people And for me if I renounce my enmity and return unto him Mat. 26.28 Rom. 3.25 26. Heb. 9.12 Col. 1.14 20. Heb. 2.17 Oh if Conscience could but lay a clear claim to this blood farewell such cramps and convulsions quickly Could she but say The blood of our Lord Jesus was shed for me I have redemption through his blood Now there would be a most ample serenity Well Conscience cannot yet put forth an act of assurance after it yet may she and should put forth an hand of acceptance towards it and of an holy acquiescence on it as knowing sin cannot write so bitter things against us but this blood of sprinkling speaks better things for us 1 Tim. 1.15 Isa 26.3 Heb. 12.24 2 See Christ applying his blood for you presenting the merit of it to his Father and thereby pleading for mercy to the faithful in his Intercession He is not gone into the Holiest of all as the high Priest with the blood of goats and calves was wont which he offered for himself as well as others But by his own blood he is entered into the holy place and this not for himself but to appear in the presence of God for us And if that blood sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall this blood sprinkled in the Conscience purge it from dead works Heb. 9.7 15 24. c. 7.25 Direct 6. Try the Breasts of the Church you may suck and be satisfied These are breasts of Consolation Breasts for beauty and benefit fair and full of milk and nutritive vertue As the clusters of the Vine as clusters of grapes full of vinous spirits succulency and sweetness Isa 66.11 Caut. 7.7 8. You that are athirst i.e. in distress and desirous of relief may come freely Christ invites you encourages injoyns you to come away Isa 55.1 2. Joh. 7.37 Rev. 21.6 Mat. 11.28 1 Try the Breasts of the Promises Do not put them from you they are full of affecting delicacies and as it were ake for want of drawing In them is not only sure but strong consolation For he is faithful who hath promised Lay but the mouth of faith to the promise as Sara and Abraham did and the fears you plead from the improbabilities and seeming impossibilities of peace will melt away and vanish Isa 55.3 Heb. 6.18 c. 10.23 c. 11.11 Rom. 4.19 20 21. Sayest thou I see no peace of Conscience within nothing but puzling calamities without me But the Promises shew that there is peace in Christ for thee In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace Joh. 16.33 Object Alas for peace I have great bitterness Answ Yet hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace to his people he will bless his people with peace Psal 85.8 29.11 Object What! I have peace Alas I have not deserved the least peace but the greatest punishments 'T is not all the world can give me peace Ans But in the Promises you have to do with the God of peace They ask not for deserts accept desires and afford all of free gift Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid Joh. 14.27 Obj. But alas I see no cause no foundation of peace Matter of provocation God may find enough and too much in me but no matter of peace whence he may educe this blessing for me Ans The Promises exhibit peace as not only of God's causing but of God's creating And creation is out of no pre-existing or no predisposed matter I create the fruits of the lips peace peace I create Hierusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy Isa 57.19 c. 65.18 Ply these and the like promises as Phil. 4.7 Isa 26.3 c. 27.5 c. 54.10 c. 57.16 17 18. c. 55.12 c. 66.12 c. with the strongest desires of their goodness and with your steadiest dependance on their truth Who ever went to God in the promises for peace that went away without the peace of God 2 Try the Breasts of the publick and solemn Ordinances These are full of milk and marrow and fatness not for support only but to abundantly satisfie us Let thine heart preserve them and they will add peace to and preserve thee Psal 36.8 65.4 Prov. 3.2 17.1 Essay the Sacraments which some will have to be those two Breasts Cant. 4.5 Certain it is that Christ who is our peace is the internal substance of them And he doth not only outwardly signifie but inwardly seal righteousness and therefore peace by them Ephes 2.14 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Rom. 4.11 c. 14.17 Reflect on thy Baptism It ministreth powerful arguments not only for the killing of sin but for the quieting of the soul as being baptized into Christ and under the bond and therefore having the benefits of the Covenant thereby confirmed and sealed This is another Ark against the deluge of wrath as Noah's was against the deluge of waters Rom. 6.3 4. Gal. 3.26 27. 1 Pet. 3.20 21. Renew thy presence often at and participation in the Supper of the Lord. Here is Bread to strengthen and Wine also that maketh glad the heart of man the Communion both of the Body and of the Blood of our Lord Christ Lo here is both a peace-offering for thee and an offer of peace to thee under the broad-seal of the God of peace How many Souls have unloaded all their pressures and soul-distresses at this port and have gone away loaden under full sail with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost O let not thy weaknesses so much deter thee hence as thy wants drive thee hither and Christ's willingness to communicate himself to his weak believers draw thee even to those who are filled with troubles of heart Psal 104.15 1 Cor. 10.16 Eph. 5.2 Cant. 2.3 4 5. Joh. 14.1 27. c. 16.6 22. cum c. 13. Cant. 5.1 2. Essay Sermons The Lord will speak peace But he is not wont to speak it immediately by himself but through the ministry of his own Ordinances and offices who must therefore preach the Gospel of peace Yea he creates peace but so as the word preached is of place and use in this Creation as the word of his power was in the first Creation I create the fruit of the lips peace peace The Priests lips are to be a storehouse of comfort as well as of knowledg God hath committed to them the Ministry of Reconciliation Nor doth the word they preach only propound the matter of peace but their preaching of the Word is a powerful and oft-times a present means of peace thorough his benediction Psal 85.8 Rom. 10.15 Mal. 2.5 6 7. Isa 57.19 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Isa
gall Instead of lesser troubles behold greater terrours Take up betimes then Reason bids thee of two evils that thou chuse the least That thou run not from bad to worse that for fleeing of the fear thou shouldst not fall into the pit and snare Jer. 12.5 Job 20.24 25. Jer. 48.44 Isa 24.18 2 Into what a gulf of sin art thou falling 'T is a Question in the Schools Whether unbelief despair or hatred of God be the greatest sin Aquinas * 22 a. q. 20. a. 3. resolves it That despair is the greatest quantum ad nos the other secundum se The truth is that despair is always inclusive of the other two though they are not always inclusive of it Despair ariseth out of unbelief and is still accompanied therewith as hope ariseth out of faith Neither is there in despair only a privation of hope * ib. a. 1. but there is an aversion at least a retreat from the object hoped for and from God the object hoped in as either unable or unwilling to give it and so there is an hatred of God that goeth with it either negative if I may so phrase it as in the pious a want of love at least to that degree which is due to him Or positive as in the impenitent and was in Cain and others O! how many sins are there in this one sin how many that attend upon it What horrible infidelity as if there were more in sin to damn us than in God and Christ to save us What height of ingratitude to God! for his Christ and the Covenant of his grace and for all those means he hath afforded for awakening our hopes and attaining of happiness What horrid imputations to and blasphemy of God! In making our guilt more omnipotent than his power and sin more hurtful than he is good and helpful What haughty insolency against God and his Gospel in justifying themselves and Satan in saying our Salvation is impossible when both of them speak it possible and proffer it upon easie terms What odious indignity is there offered unto Christ as if the cry of our sins did outvoice the cry of his blood or there were not either worth enough in it or not a willingness to impart it though he left his father took our flesh c. to this very purpose What open injury do we offer to the Church as if there were no Balm in Gilead and the business and blessings of religion were but a mockery as ending in madness and melancholy Yea how ominous is the injury hereby to our own selves as barring us out not only from present happiness but from all possibilities and hopes and bringing us into the most amazing agonies of 1. temptation 2. tribulation 3. transgression 1. Of temptation Despair is the Devil's shop and shambles By this he puts men upon blaspheming God and self-butcheries Witness Cain Saul and Judas Gen. 4.13 14. 1 Sam. 31.4 cum 16.14 Mat. 27.5 cum Joh. 13.27 2. Of Tribulation Nothing but now ministers matter of trouble to the Soul Even God his Gospel c. And they multiply upon him I was not in safety neither had I rest neither was I quiet yet trouble came yea there is a special malignity in these troubles not only in that they are soul-troubles but self-troubles troubles of his own making and maintaining He is his own tormenter Job 3.26 Jer. 2.19 3. Of Transgression Now is the time of sinning most against God our selves and the soul-good of our neighbour hardening the wicked hindring the weak and intercepting the worthiest in the cheerfulness of their progress and pilgrimage The effects I acknowledg are different in different persons 1. It enervates endeavours in most As the Orator * Desperatione debilitati experiri nolunt quod se assequi posse diffidunt Cic. Orat. ad Brut. long since observed Hope is the nerve and tendon of Action if this be cut off or contracted they are disenabled and indisposed Men care not to make experiments for that of which they conclude they shall never come at 2. It eateth cut the sweet and extinguisheth the Spirit and heat of endeavours if they are continued Cut off hope and the springs of joy and holy obedience are dammed up Servile fears prevail and so duty doth become a drudgery and comes off with difficulty 'T is worse rowing than against wind and tide 3. It inflameth some unto self-violence Saul falls upon his own Sword Ahitophel and Judas hang themselves and so pass from one hell to another 4. It exasperateth some against God and Godliness and boils up their hatred to malice and despight as Cain and Jehoram's messenger What shall I attend on the Lord any longer 5. It endeth with some in sensuality and Epicurean or brutish indulgences to make the best of their gain in carnal divertisements while they may As those Jer. 2.25 c. 18.12 1 Cor. 15.32 There is no hope we will walk after our own devices Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die Direct 4. Present the Object in and from whom you can alone hope for peace and safety more rightly to your Conscience Is it not enough that you have hard thoughts of your selves but will you have hard thoughts of our God likewise O the zeal the strength the sounding of his bowels and of his merceis towards thee Are they restrained Hath he not proclaimed his Name to be the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Yea the Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works He is full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth Isa 63.15 Exod. 34.6 7. Psal 86 5 15. 103.8 145.8 9. Whence then are these approaches toward despair O thou trembling soul whence why do these tormenting thoughts stick upon thee Is it that God cannot is not able to pardon thee Nay what is too hard for an omnipotent mercy to pardon or pass by Man can put up but a few provocations such is his impotence through pride passion c. He cannot contain but would be calling for fire from heaven But God hath proclaimed his Name to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord the Lord the mighty God * Deus fortis Jun. Tremel His Omnipotence can forgive both iniquity transgression and sin all kinds all degrees of sin Luk. 9.54 Exod. ibid. Numb 14.18 19 20. Amos 7.2 3. What! is it that he careth not is not willing to forgive and have mercy upon thee Nay as I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but this is his pleasure that the wicked turn from his way and live Lo how he invites injoyns intreats it Turn you turn you from your evill ways How he expostulateth in it why will ye die God is not willing that any should perish but that all