This rectifies errour being as a voyce behinde us Esay 30. 21. Thine ear shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left This ends all controversies Esay 8. 26. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them This resolves all doubts How is it written in the law how readest thou Luke 10. 26. 3. This removes deadnesse of conscience and hardnesse Is not this word an hammer to soften the heart and is not this the immortall seed by which we Jer. 23. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 23 Psal 119. 25. are begotten again Therefore David finding his conscience in a dead frame prayed My soul cleaveth to the dust quicken me according to thy word Again verse 50. It is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me So verse 93. I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me The word is the first thing by which conscience is purified and set right This makes the man of God perfect and thorowly furnished to every good work 2 Tim. 3. 17. Secondly By the blood of Christ is the conscience 2. By the blood of Christ further purified we must not rest in the word alone without this blood which cleanseth both the book of Conscience and is sprinkled on the book of Scripture to give vertue to it Heb. 9. 14. Shall not the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God This is it that purgeth the defiled and guilty conscience from all his diseases and filthinesse Christs spittle opened the eyes of two blinde men once His blood openeth the eye of Mark 8. 23 Joh. 9. 6. blinde conscience ever This is the blood of sprinckling which alone purifies the heart from an evil conscience Heb. 10. 22. So that the soul may now draw nigh to God with boldnesse and much assurance Other blood and observances Read the 9. and 10. chap. to the Hebr. might serve to make an Israelite under the Law legally pure as to the flesh Onely this blood of Christ typified by the purification water the hyssop scarlet blood of bulls and goats can make a Christian Evangelically pure before God and Internally in the court of Conscience The book and people and all things pertaining to the Tabernacle were consecrated with blood Heb. 9. 22. And almost all things by the Law were purged with blood And without shedding of blood there is no remission To teach us what is more plainly expressed 1 Joh. 1. 7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Wash me O Lord with this hyssâ—p and I shall Psal 51. 7. be clean Purge me with this blood and I shall be whiter then the snow Thirdly Conscience is purged by the Sperit 3 By the spirit of Christ of Christ together with the word and blood without there be a concurrence of all three the work is not done not the word alone without the blood and spirit can effect it noâ— the blood without the word and spirit nor yet the spirit without both the former The word is sprinkled on the Conscience to inform satisfie and purifie it The blood of Christ is sprinkled on the word as Exod 24. 8. compared with Heb. 9. 20. which it was not sufficient to have read but sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant to give vertue to it And the blood it self must be applyed by the spirit that the vertue of it may be brought home to the conscience The blood of Christ without the spirit is no better then his flesh without the spirit The flesh profits nothing It is the Spirit that quickeneth The principall Jo. 6. 63. part of the work of purifying Conscience belongs to the Spirit It was that eternal Spirit whereby Christ offered his Blood Heb. 9. 14. which did commend our conscience to God And this Spirit applying the blood offered doth commend and seal Gods Covenant to our Consciences Thus the spirit heals those three diseases It properly removes Ignorance being the Spirit of Illumination Eph. 1. 17 This rectifyes Errour being the spirit of Truth Joh 14. 17. This removes Deadness being the spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. This is the great Purifyer this the Refiners fire this the Fullers soape Malach 3. 2. whereby Christ doth refine and purifie the sons of Jacob. This the Spirit of Judgement and Spirit of burning wherewith God hath promised to wash away the filth of the daughter of Zion Esay 4. 4. CHAP. III. Of the Conscience rightly pacifyed Conscience rightly pacified II. A Right pacifyed Conscience This is the second property and part of the good Conscience laid down in the Definition Purity indeed is the more excellent kinde of goodnesse it being essentiall to the very being of good Conscience Peace is but an additional and a secondary part of that goodness and conduceth more to the bene esse then to the bare esse of good conscience It is a spirituall good but of a temporary nature not standing and immovable Peace is so far good as that the Conscience is not perfectly well without it but right Peace it must be or it is not good at all which that it may enjoy There are three things which Conscience must be 1. Pacifyed from 2. Pacifyed by Three things it must be pacified from 1. The three things Conscience must be pacifyed from are 1. The Reign of Sin 2. The rage of Satan 3. The displeasure of God 1 It must be at peace from the dominion of sin So long as Adonijah Reigneth Solomon is in danger while Sin is in his Power and Throne 1 From the raigne of sinne Conscience cannot be in safety Our Peace therefore which we should seek is not such a Peace as we are born unto or are possessed of while the strong man is Armed but is a recovered Peace regained by deposing the Usurper Like Israels Peace after the seditious commotion 2 Sam. 20. 22. was quietly setled when Shebahs head was off No peace to conscience while a Sheba up in Armes There is a Peace indeed when Sin and Satan are strongly armed and keep the house Luk. 11. 21. This is no good Peace this is the peace of a sleepy not an awakened conscience No war so miserable as Pax est sed Bello pax ea deterior such a peace when the soul is at ease in it self at peace with Sin at peace with Satan at agreement with Hell but at war and enmity with God Conscientia pacatè optima may be vitiosè pessima In tali pace amaritudo mea amarissima as Bernard or Ad pacem advenit Amara mihi Amaritudo as Junius reads that of Hezekiah in Is 38. 17. Wo to these that â—laugh now they
the Rev. 11. 14. second woe is past to make way for the third the greatest woe that cometh quickly i. e. immediately upon it Many wicked escape the first woe in life but as it befel them that scaped the sword of 1 King 19. 17. Hazael there were two other worse swords of Jehu and Elisha that should dispatch them after The sword of Hazael may spare the wicked in this life but then the sword of Jehu meets with them at death and again the sword of Elisha at the day of judgement He may flee from the iron sword but then Job 20. 22. the how of steel shal strike him thorough Or as Amos hath it He may fly from a Lion in life Am. 5. 19. and a Bear meet him at death and the Serpent bite him at the day of judgement This yet hath an end though it be long first at the day of judgement the second woe ends but a greater succeeds If a man live Eccl. 11. 8. many years saith Solomon and rejoice in them all yet let him remember the dayes of darknesse that they are many The dayes of darknesse that is in hell are many and long dayes they be from thy death to the end of the world is but one day and there are many more after which are longer a thousand years is but as one day and every one of those dayes are as a thousand years yet are there many of them more than ten thousands of such dayes there are for they are without number But the third woe payes for all which is at 3 Woe at the day of Judgment the day of judgement then shall all the Cataracts of wrath be set open and all the vials of wrath filled and emptied out upon the heads of the wicked Then shall the Lord rain fire and brimstone from the Lord out of Heaven Then shall the sealed book of Conscience be unclasped and out of thy own mouth and heart and book shalt thou be judged Then shall both Earth and Sea and Hell and Death deliver up all their dead but not to be annibilated that they would account an unspeakable mercy but only to be Arraigned tryed sentenced Then shall Death and Hell be cast again into the lake of fire which is the second and eternall death Then shall a Hell in Conscience be cast into a Hell of despair and an Hell of guilt into an Hell of pain But of this third woe it is no where said the third woe is past Life ends and with it the first woe The world ends and with it the second woe But Etermity ends not therefore the third woe never ends Hence the judgement of that day is called Eternal Judgement Heb. 6. 2. and the destruction of the wicked an everlasting Destruction 2. Thess 1. 9. The first woc may be a sad one yet it cannot be long because life is short The second woe is more sad because more long but though long it is it is not for ever The third is the sad and killing woe because it is both long and endlesse There is the great Gulfe fixed that there is no comming over As the first woe leaves a man the second woe finde him as the second leaves him the third finds him but the third never leaves Look how Life leaves Death finds as Death leaves Judgement finds as Judgement leaves Eternity finds But this Eternity leaves not his place to any other Eternity is a pit which hath no bottome it is a large bottome that can never be unravelled it is a Center which hath no circumference no measure of times or number of Ages can fathom or reckon the length of it It hath ever a beginning of his dayes hath never an end of his years when Time shall be no more Eternity is but beginning It is a long and perpetuall night which shall never have a morning to succeed it Now to all Eternity thy evill Conscience shall accompany thee and fill thy heart with new tortures of Grief and fear and wrath and bitternesse and despair But this third woe must never have an end Means The means to be used to the getting and keeping of good Conscience are Principal and they two Subservient and they many The Principal means and without which 1. The Blood of Christ all the rest are insufficient are two First to get the bloud of Christ sprinkled on the Conscience by the hand of faith As David said of Goliah's sword There is none to that give it 1 Sam. 21. 9. me So may we say of this bloud This purgeth the Conscience from all dead works that it may serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. All duties gifts observances Performances nothing to this Other things may make the out-side clean before men the bloud of Christ is that alone which maketh the Conscience clean before God that there is now no more Conscience of sin as to the guilt and spot of it So Heb. 10. 29. The bloud of the Covenant is that whereby the beleever is sanctified Whatsoever other means are used courses are taken as by confession contrition satisfaction reading praying fasting building Alms-houses or the like they are no more without this to the commending of the Conscience unto God or taking away sin from the Conscience than Adams Fig-leaves to take away the shame of his nakednesse or the washing of Pilates hands in fair water to cleanse his soul from the foul sin of Bioud-guiltinesse He should have washed his heart in the bloud of Christ than had he been free from all his sins and not his hands in water that he might be free from the bloud of Christ His bloud is that Zach. 13. 1. Fountain opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse This bloud of Christ we should pray pathetically and fervently as the Jewes did passionately and furiously that it may be upon us and on our Children not on our heads but on our hearts not to be charged upon us but sprinkled on us not by Vulnera Christi eivitates refugii Sanguis Christi sons Bethlehemi Joh. 6. 53. 54. way of imputation but of expiation The wounds of Christ are our City of Refuge said one And the bloud of Christ is the well of Bethlehem which we should long for and break through an host of difficulties to come unto Except we drink this bloud we have no life in us But who so eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath eternal life and Christ promiseth to raise him up at the last day Fly then to this City of refuge and escape the Avenger Sprinkle this blood on thy Door-posts and escape the Destroyer Look up to this Brazen Serpent and be cured of all stings of Conscience from the fiery Serpent Cast in this Jonah and the raging Sea is calmed both of Gods displeasure and Consciences disturbance Go to this Samaritan for his Wine and Oyle to thy wounded Conscience
whose cause if thou wilt plead thou shalt have double fees but if thou be of Counsel against heâ— or by thy opposition silence craft or negligence she be cast and overthrowne thou shalt never be able to stand in the Judgement but be disabled pleading before the Lord Chief Justice at that Upper Bench. Art thou a Physitian Conscience must be thy Patient whom thou must attend most be sure to keepe her out of a Lethargy and a Consumption to which diseases she is naturally most inclined if this Die under thy hand and miscarry thou art an undone man and all thy skill and practise nothing worth If thou be a Rich man Conscience will furnish thee with Baggs which wax not old of Treasure that will not waste If Poor it will furnish thee with a Cruse and Barrel that will not fail If thou hast a good Conscience it will be a staff to support thee If an evil it will turn in to a Serpent to sting thee If thou art an Israelite it is the Red Sea fear not to go into it it will secure thee if an Egyptian thou art drowned if thou go into it If thou be a woman Conscience is thy Glasse into which thou must looke and by which thou must dresse thy self saith Bernard that thou mayest please Christ thy Spouse If a Maid this thy attire If a Bride this thy Ornament If a Mother this thy Child which thou must nurse thy self not put out of doors as Moses Mother did him for any danger or benefit Take heed of starving and overlaying thy Conscience Thou must be as tender of this as of thy only Child for it more concerns thee Whosoever thou art I have two things more to beg the one for thee that what is here all along spoken of Conscience may be also spoken effectually to thy Conscience and tend to the clarifying and fortifying to the purifying pacifying and preserving of thy Conscience and the other from thee that thou wilt joyne in thy prayers endeavours that the Lords banished may be brought home that banisht Conscience may be restored to his liberty and that deposed Conscience may be Re-in-throned in his full power and soveraigne authority commanding in the heart and lives of all professors and Christians that while Conscience reignes the peace of God which passeth all onderstanding may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare rule in our hearts and minds So I remit thee to the Conscience of God and commit thee to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pe. 2. 19 God of Conscience that thou maist live full of Conscience so dye full of comfort and rise full of glory So prayes he who is The meanest servant of thy Faith and Conscience J. S. THE CONTENTS THe sum and scope of the Epistle to Timothy is the Ministers duty page 1. The sum of the Text the Ministers greatest charge p. 2. 11. The words opened observations raised p. 3 4 c. The maine point of Doctrine Propounded p. 11. Expounded p. 12. Confirmed p. 13 14 CHAP. I. What Conscience is shewed two wayes p. 15. 1. By opening the word Conscience p. 15. Conscience is more then a bare and single knowledge ibid. Conscience implyes a four-fold knowledge with God p. 16. with self p. 17. with others p. 18. with things themselves p. 20. Four Corollaries and Deductions p. 22. 2. What the thing Conscience is described p. 24. CHAP. II. Two kinds of Conscience Evill Good A two fold evill Conscience Quiet Troubled A double goodness in Conscience of Sincerity Security p. 26. The full definition of a good Conscience viz. when 1. It is rightly Purified 2. Rightly Pacified 3. And doth â—egularly performe all his offices ibid When Conscience is rightly purified p. 27. Three things Conscience must be purified from Ignorance p. 27. Error p. 28. Hardnesse p. 31 Three things Conscience is purified by The Word of Christ The Blood of Christ The Spirit of Christ p. 33. CHAP. III. Of the Conscience rightly pacified p. 37. Three things Conscience must be pacified from The raigne of sin p. 37. The rage of Satan p. 39. The wrath of God p. 41. Three things Conscience is pacified by The Word p. 42. The Blood p. 43. The spirit of Christ p. 44. CHAP. IV. The Offices of Conscience p. 45. Conscience hath a four-fold Office Ministeriall or Propheticall Regall or Magistratuall Testimoniall or of a witness Judiciall or of a Judge p. 46. To which is added a fifth Office viz. Registeriall Wherein Conscience is a Minister p. 46. Wherein Conscience is a King p. 48. Wherein Conscience is a witnesse p. 49. Wherein Conscience is a Judge p. 51. Wherein Conscience is a Register p. 52. Five Corollaryes p. 54. CHAP. V. Ten particular sorts of good Conscience propounded First of the Conscience of Faith ibid p. 60. CHAP. VI. Of the Conscience of Purity p. 66 CHAP. VII Of the Conscience of Sincerity p. 72. Ten notes of Sincerity p. 75. CHAP. VIII Of the Inoffensive Conscience p. 93 Inoffensivenesse twofold Not taking Not giving Offence p. 93. 1. Inoffensiveness in not giving offence respects either God or Man ibid. What is it to be inoffensive before God p. 94. How any can be said so to be inoffensive ibid. Foure markes of this inoffensivenesse p. 95. Offence not to be given to men Others Godly p. 97. or Those without p. 105. Our selves p. 107. Six cautions given to prevent offence giving p. 98. Six rules prescribed to avoid offence giving p. 102. 2. Inoffensivenesse in not taking offence from God p. 109. The Godly p. 110. The wicked p. 111. CHAP. IX Of the well sighted Conscience p. 112. CHAP. X. Of the well spoken Conscience p. 115. 1 Pet. 3. 21. Opened The answer or interrogation of a good Conscience p. 115. 116. CHAP. XI Of the honest dealing Conscience p. 120. Seven notes of an honest Conscience p. 124. CHAP. XII Of the tender Conscience p. 129. A double tenderness of Conscience Sinfull and diseased Lawfull and Sound p. 132. Five kinds of diseased and faulty tenderness p. 132. 133 Right tendernesse respects 1. God 2. Others 3. Our selves p. 140. 1. Tendernesse in respect of God seen in six things p. 141. 2. In respect of Men. 1. To all Godly in generall 2 Weaker ones among them especially 3 To all men whatsoever 4. To those who are related to us principally p. 151. Sequ. 3. In respect of our selves this tendernesse seen in 14. Notes p. 157. Sequ. CHAP. XIII Of the passive or suffering Conscience p. 181. Foure sorts of sinfull uncomfortable sufferings p. 187. Six markes of honourable and conscientious suffering p. 189. CHAP. XIV Of the Conscience of Charity p. 194. Charity two-fold Externall or civill Ecclesiasticall or christian p. 195. 1. Externall charity respecteth The Poore The Neighbour Our Enemy To the poor is to be shewed charity of beneficence p. 196 To the Neighbour a charity of benevolence p. 199. To an Enemy the charity of forgiveness p.
wildernesse of Kadesh doth tremble when he speaks terror who can give peace His word is as fire in the Bones He sendeth his word the Snow is scattered like woll It s like morsels who can stand before his cold There is a winter and trembling in the conscience But he sendeth Psal 147. 17. 18. forth his word againe and melteth them All the mighty workes wrought upon the soule are by meanes of the word of Christ By this word Act. 10. 36. Christ commeth to the Mar. 4 50 Luk. 24. 38 soule Preaching Peace He saith why are ye fearefull oh ye of little faith why are ye troubled why doe thoughts arise in your heart By his word he coms into the sad solitary soule as Jo. 20. 19. he did to the Disciples all doores being shut and saith Peace be unto you Yea ordinarily that you may waite on the word for tydings of Peace The Peace which Christ doth create is the fruit of the lips of his Ministers Isa 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips Peace Peace to him that is farre off and to him that is neere saith the Lord and I will heale him The Ministers Feet bring Peace by Preaching the word of Peace Isa 52. 7. And the feet of Beleevers are said to be shod with Peace to walk in waies of Peace through the preparation and Eph. 6. 15 preaching of the Gospell of Peace When the minister comes to a place or people Preaching Peace if there be a Son and Heire of Peace there his Peace shall remaine upon that Person Luk. 10. 6. 2. By the Blood of Christ This is the Procuring cause of all our Peace Col. 1. 20. Having By the blood of Christ made Peace by the blood of his Cross The Peace of our Conscience is the meer issue of that blessed Personall Treaty made between the Father and the Son in behalf of undone and Ruined man the blood of Christ being the whole price of it and all the satisfaction to be made Rom. 3. 23 24 25. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of all sins past c. The blood of the Paschall Lamb upon the door post was the peace and security of Israel against the destroyer Exo. 12. 23 and the blood of Christ upon the soul is the consciences security alone against all remaining guilt and corruption of sin rage of Satan and danger of Gods displeasure This blood gives the soul all boldnesse to enter into Heb. 10. 19 the holyest by a new and living way and gives us assurance before God 3. By the Spirit of Christ This is the Procreating 3. By the spirit of Christ and Producing cause of Peace in us as the blood of Christ was the Procuring cause of Peace for us For this reason Christ and the Holy Ghost are called by one and the same name because their end and businesse is the same to procure Peace to the soul Christ is an Advocate or Paraclete 1 Joh. 2. 1. The holy Ghost is an Advocate or Paraclete Joh 14. 16. The word is the same in the Originall But here is the difference Christ is our Advocate the holy Ghost is Gods Advocate Christ is our Advocate with the Father procuring peace the holy Ghost is an Advocate or Paraclete from the Father producing peace Christ is our Advocate to God prevailing with him for granting peace The Spirit is Gods Advocate Jo. 15. 26 14. 16 26 Gen. 8. 11 to us prevailing with us to entertain peace This is the Dove with the Olive branch which goes and returns till the waters are asswaged dry land appear and danger be over This applyes the word and promise which proclaims our peace this applyes the blood of Christ which procures our peace this hath the last hand and consummating stroke in our peace making Therefore this joy and peace of conscience is denominated from the Spirit joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. The fruit of the Spirit is joy Peace Gal. 5. 22. CHAP. IV. The Offices of Conscience III. IN our definition of a good conscience Chap 4. The Offices of conscience I said it was that conscience which being purifyed and pacified doth regularly perform all his Offices Conscience is absolutely the greatest Officer under Heaven and is without contradiction the greatest Representative in all the world it is Gods immediate Vice-gerent hath a delegation from God Whence we commonly say vox Conscientiae vox Dei The voice of God is in the voice of Conscience And the Acts of Conscience are the Acts of God what conscience doth binde or loose on earth in foro suo God doth ratifie in heaven in foro suo 1 Joh. 3. 20 21. So that what the Canonists impudently and blasphemously assert of the Pope we may in a safe and modest sense apply to conscience Deus Papa say they unum habent Consistorium a bold and impious saying Deus conscientia unum habent Consistorium A true saying God and the Pope have but one Consistory or Judicatory say they God and Conscience say we Prov. 20. 27. The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. Pluralist respectu Officiorum non Beneficiorum Conscience hath four Offices Now conscience is a Licensed and allowed Pluralist hath four distinct Offices 1. Propheticall or Ministeriall 2. Regal or Magistratual 3. Testimoniall or witnesse bearing 4. Judiciall or sentence passing Consciences Ministeriall Office 1. Consciences first office is Ministeriall or Propheticall that is to do the Office of a Minister Watchman or Seer to give warning from God from whom it hath his Commission Ordination and Station all Jure Divino To warn inform direct reprove admonish charge See you refuse not him that speaketh within you This is your Domestick Chaplain to whom as Jotham said to the men of Shechem you must hearken that God may hearken Judg. 9. 7. unto you We dislike that a Minister should be dumb in his charge or a Watchman should sleep on the Sentery take heed of maintaining a Conscience or silencing a speaking conscience In Libera Civitate Linguas liberas esse oportet Augustus was wont to say Say thou among Freemen conscience should have his freedom preserved at least as to his own charge Give thy conscience all freedom to inform propound yea reprove and smite This Liberty of Conscience none will question all will contend for There is some other Liberty of Conscience the world cries out for I dare not plead for that But give conscience leave to be bold with thee it will give thee boldness another day that thou shalt assure thy heart before God We called it Tyrannicall and Antichristian dealing when the Prelates outed suspended and deprived the godly and
holy Ghost is that sin unto death hath no more sacrifice for it but becomes eternally unpardonable but because it is ever perpetrated and committed in despight of 1 Jo. 5. 16. Heb. 10. 26. conscience against his most clear and strongest convictions and against the most peremptory checks and dissenting restraints of the awakened and enlightened conscience Nothing heightens sin so fast conscience may say If I had not come unto you you had no sin If I had not done my Office faithfully you had some cloak for your sin which now you have not This makes sins of knowing men greater then of ignorant Englands sin greater then the Jndies Judas's perfidiousnesse worse then Sauls persecutions The one did it ignorantly and therefore obtained mercy The other had no cloak for his sin Christ gave him warning by the sop all took notice 1 Tim. 1. 13 he replyed upon consciences enforcing Is it I And he therefore died a son of perdition because he lived and persisted a son of conviction This is the servant who shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12. 47. To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Jam. 4. 17. Corollary 4. When a man lies under the lash of conscience in respect of his two last offices viz. testimoniall and judiciall he lies under the greatest misery Maximus angor conscientiae Dr. Ames Mar. 9. 44. maxima poena Then the worm never dying devours him the fire ever burning the fire not blowen takes hold of him Cains mark is Iob. 20. 26. upon him His punishment is greater then he can bear This is the first woe and the hell on earth for Revel 1. 18. there is a hell before death and Revel 20. 14. an hell before the lake of fire How fearfull was Herods case to be given up to wormes to eat him alive Infinitely more dreadfull to be given up to this worm of conscience to be eaten up both alive and dead How dolefull a sight is it to see a wolfe or a Cancer on the womans tender breast ever gnawing and stinging never cured But a worse wolf is the gnawing and accusing conscience No fits of convulsion so tearing and pulling and racking as convulsion fits of conscience no ulcer in the bladder or bowels so painfull as the exulcerated conscience See this in Judas now brought to a sight of his sin and sense of his misery he is like Isa 57. 20. the raging sea that cannot rest Out he cries I have sinned take your money it hath damned me from person to person from place to place he goes but his hell he carries with him from the terrour and sting of conscience he cannot run To death he saith Fall on me to hell bury me so I may be hid from sight of conscience he strangles himself because he could not strangle conscience into hell he leapes not longer able to abide himself and indeed if there were any place in hell where this Apollyon of destroying conscience came not into it would all the damned get to case themselves Hell were not hell if raging conscience ruled not there if this worme could ever die that fire might then be quenched Judas hung himself to ease himself but then was death and hell cast into the lake of fire Revel 20. 14. He at first brake the neck of conscience that at last brake his neck he had strangled good conscience an ill conscience strangled him and being dead all his bowels fell out of his body because all his conscience fell out of his bowels while he was alive To conclude this Corollary The wrack of Mat. 15. 11 Subijciatur corpus in paena in jeiunijs macereâ—ur verber ibus lanietur equuleo disiendatur gladio trucidetur crucis supplicio affligatur secura erit conscientia Bern. de in t dom c. 22. Pro. 18. 14. good conscience is the saddest shipwrack for poena damni it is the greatest losse And the rack of an ill conscience is the sharpest rack for poena sensus it is the greatest pain Not all from without doth so defile a man as that from within nor all from without doth so torment a man as that from within All the windes blustering abroad about our ears paine us not but a little winde enclosed in the bowels how much doth it torment and put the body into the extreamest pains All troubles from without are easily undergone if conscience be sound But the wounded spirit who can bear He shall flee from the iron weapon and the Bow of steele shall stricke him through It is drawne commeth forth of his body The glistering sword commeth out of his Gall Terrors are upon him All darknesse is hid in his secret places h. e. he hath an Epitome of all the woes and miseries of Hell in his soule a fire not blowen shall consume him as Zophar excellently Allegorizeth Job 20. 24. 25. 26. Coroll 5. VVhen conscience hath done all these foure Offices faithfully and then giveth Peace This is the right peace of conscience This is the Son of Peace upon which the peace Luk. 10. 6. of God and the peace of the Minister ever comes Thus have you seene what a good conscience is h. e. when it is purified and when it is pacified purified from Ignorance Error deadnesse pacified from the raigne of sinne the rage of Satan and displeasure of God both purified and pacified by the word blood and spirit of Christ And after all doing his four-fold Office in due time and place of a Minister of a King of a Witnesse and of a Judge And thus much of good conscience in generall CHAP. V. Of severall good Consciences in particular and first of the Conscience in which Faith is HAving hitherto treated of the good conscience in generall we shall now descend to speak of some Particulars and give you in the severall sorts and best kindes of good consciences that are to be found in all the Sciptures commended to us that when you see such an one you may know a good conscience againe and say there goes a good conscience Ten particulars I shall recommend to you and after speake somewhat to Ten good consciences laid down in scripture each of them Their names are 1. The conscience of Faith 2. Of Purity 3. Of Sincerity 4. The Vnoffensive conscience 5. The well-sighted conscience 6. The well-spoken conscience 7. The Honest-handed conscience 8. The Tender conscience 9. The Passive or Hardy conscience 10. The conscience of Charity The first and most excellent conscience is that in the Text the good conscience of faith The conscience of Faith This onely makes a good conscience Nor can all the other nine make it such without this It is impossible that any thing or person should be good and please God without faith Heb. 11. 6. Precious faith makes the conscience of great price It is therefore very observable that in three places of this Epistle The Apostle
estate that restoreth not what is injuriously gotten saith Nehemiah and good Neh. 5. 13. Conscience saith Amen to it It shall never bee said of mee saith the conscientious man that sin or Satan or fraud or rapine or usurie or briberie hath made mee rich for the fire of God shall consume the Tabernacles of briberie saith Eliphaz Job 15. 34. And the Congregation of hypocrites shall bee desolate But hee that walketh in righteousness and speaketh in uprightness hee that despiseth the gain of Oppressions and shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of bloud and shutteth his eies from seeing of evil viz. hee that is every way a just an honest and a plain dealing man hee shal dwel on High his Place of defence shall bee the munition of Rocks Bread shall bee given him his waters shall bee sure Isai 33. 15 16. But besides what hath been said you may know an honest Conscience by these Notes 1. He hath engraven in his heart this Maxime I must be a Law to my self h. e. though Rom. 2. 14. there were no humane Law to force me to reason and duty no magistrate to awe me no minister to reprove no shame for ill done no praise for good done yet must I live conforme to the old Law written in the heart of man This man needs not his neighbour to call on him saying know the Lord doe Heb. 8. 11 Intimus magister justice c. For he is so taught of an inward monitor abiding in his heart In this regard it is said The Law is not written for the righteous 1 Tim. 1. 9. For if other men were as honest as he there needed not so many Lawes and a few Magistrates would be sufficient 2. This is his Oracle Whatsoever you would others should doe to you doe you the same to them Mat. 7. 12. Which is the Epitome of the Law and prophets and is the voyce both of Scripture and Nature This Lactantius saith is the very root and foundation of all equity And Jerom to a Epitome Diu. Instit Cap. 3. good woman commendeth this saying as the breviary or abridgement of all righteousnesse to be written on her heart as a compendious Commonitory quasi ad compendiosum locum quoddam Commonitorium illa tibi evangelij eligenda sententia est superscribenda cordi Jerom ad Celantia tuo quae ad totius justitiae Breviarium pro fertur ore Dominco quaecunque volueritis ut faciant vobis homines haec tibi quasi speculum quoddam paratum ad manum semper positum qualitatem tuae voluntatis ostendat c. Therefore saith Paraeus upon the place Par. in Mat. 7. 12. Christ would make every honest man his own rule and law in his dealings with his neighbour Would I like it well that others should suspect envy censure me with their tongue when I am absent or abuse deride scorne and make jests of me to my face or would I be content that they should over-reach defraud and oppress me in their actions then let me doe the like to them otherwise not 3. You may be bold to take his word and trust him He cannot deceive though he may be deceived Errare potest non fallere His word is as his Bond his Bond is as his Oath and his Oath is as his Soule By any of these you have him bound and bound in Spirit And let him goe whether he will he hath his Keeper with him He makes Conscience of what he promiseth because his promise came from a Purpose of performance He reckoneth of his day debt promise to thee when thou little thinkest of him He holds nothing to consist with his honour which doth not with honesty whence the ancients derived honour and honesty on from the other Honest Regulus the glory of the Romans being let goe when a prisoner of warre upon his Parell or word passed to returne if a Peace were not agreed between his Nation and the Carthaginians made good his promise although he knew it were as much as his life were worth Fides data est servanda etiam hosti When the honest man hath past his word he saith quod dixi dixi what I have said I have said as Pilate after his writing said quod scripsi scripsi what I have said or written shall stand 4. You need not fear to take his money his wares his weight or his measure All are currant and warrantable His money currant and weight as Abraham's and Jeremie's was Gen. 23. 16 Jer. 32. 9. Hee clips not his Shekel His weight is down weight his measure full measure His Ephah Omer and Shekel are all Standard-proof Hee knowes nothing more abomination to the Lord then a false balance Prov. 11. 1. 5. This man as you may take his word or his money his weight and measure so you may take his accompts hee will bee faithfull and punctual in all his reckonings disbursements and receipts wherein you intrust him Hee will not set down Laid out more or Received less then the truth is As those honest workmen in Jehojada's dayes that repaired the House of the Lord laid out according to their Trust as far as was needful for Repairs and brought in the Remainder and it is said 2 Kin. 12. 15. c. That they did not so much as reckon with them for they dealt so faithfully Here is a commendation for a publike officer or a private servant hee brings in no false bils but will bee as true in his trust and accompts as if you had your eye alwaies on him you need not so much as question 2 Ki. 22. 7. his reckoning whereas such a dishonest servant as that was spoken of Luke 16. 6 7. must bee looked after or hee will wrong the Publike to augment his Private and will not fear to empoverish his master or deceive his best friend to enrich himself 6. This man ever respects not a Person so much as a Cause The Cause of the stranger poor fatherless or widow is more to him then the face of the rich or the Letter of the mightie Hee saith with Levi to his father and to Deut. 33. â— his mother I have not known you nor did hee acknowledge his brethren nor knew his children because they kept thy Word Hee is the man whom the Antients were wont to Embleme with a Pair of Balances in one hand a Sword in the other and both his eyes shut To dispense to all Justice distributive or commutative indifferently without respect of persons Tros Tyriusve All is one I am Debtor saith hee to Jew and Gentile to do what is honest though engaged to neither In all matters in difference he inclines to that partie where Reason not Interest swaies him Amicus Plato Amicus Socrates but magis Amica veritas This man is my friend and that man is my kinsman but good Conscience is my best friend and truth my nearest
and sickly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle calls it 1 Cor. 8. 12. and which is easily cast down and discouraged This was the disease of the stony ground it was so Mat. 13. 21. tender that it was offended at the Cross Outward tenderness is a disease inward is a virtue The stony ground was outwardly tender but inwardly hard therefore could not endure any outward scorching The good ground on the other side was inwardly soft and tender to give Root to the seed received but it was outwardly hardy able to endure all weathers This kinde of Conscience cries A lion in the way I shall be torn in the streets This picks a quarrell at the Gospel for some Circumstances Prov. 26. 13 Why do thy disciples eat with unwashen hands and walk contrarie to the old Ceremonies of the fathers Mark 7. 2. This bird-eyed conscience as I may call it starts as the bird-eyed horse at every leafe shaking or bird flying and layes his Rider on his back or flings him into the dirt haply this is a pittifull weake conscience This was the conscience of the mixt multitude and of the ten spies they started at sight Num. 11. 4. of an Anakim and would not by any means Nu. 13. 31. advise the people to endanger themselves by adventuring forward This conscience is known by these ill Properties 1. It is apt to scruple things lawfull it eateth nothing but herbs Rom. 14. 2. 2. It puzzleth and perplexeth it self about businesses of no great moment about dayes meats c. Touch not taste not handle not Col. 2. 21. 3. It is apt to judge him that upon better grounds is not of his minde and practice Rom. 14. 3. Let not him which eateth not judge him which eateth which he is very apt to do 4. He is apt to stumble Rom. 14. 21. 5. Or to bee grieved and distasted Rom. 14. 21. Occasions whereof as it is the dutie of the strong and wise Christian to avoid so it is the propertie of the weak to bee subject unto 5. And a fift ill tenderness there is of the Conscience all awakened but such as cannot take any rest more Psal 77. 2 3 4. My sore ran all night and ceased not my soul refused comfort I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak So the like Psal 51. 3. My sin is ever before me Psal 38. 17. I am ready to halt and my sorrow is continually before me This is a sad and painful if not sometimes also a sinful tenderness when the soul sees nothing but sin guilt and miserie in it self nothing but anger wrath and frownes in God and no hopes of Redemption by Christ or of recoverie by the Spirit of Grace This is a sad Tenderness or Soreness or Bruisedness or woundedness of Spirit through too much sensibleness of sin tending apace towards fearfull distrust of God and despair of mercy This poor soul is as a man who hath all his bones broken and all his members dislocated and out of Order his heart melting like wax in his belly Psal 22. 14. his spirit even failing nor can he turn himself in his bed without pain A tendernesse this is but from disease not soundnesse Or as you see another man who hath a sore raw eye or an eye that hath been scalded or scorched in the fire it is very tender it cannot look upon the Sun or a Candle without offence it alwaies runs drops trickles and requires some soft silk or fine Linnen to bee before it So the conscience scorched with sin that hath not the fire taken out by the Eye-salve made of Christ his blood Rev. 3. 18. and hath not the fine silk and Linnen you read of Rev. 19. 8. is a sad Conscience though tender it is raw and running and sore and fierie Such a Conscience is tender indeed till it bee the worse again Thus Leahs eyes were said to bee tender it was small Commendation to her they were debiles weak as Junius renders it Rachel was more fair and more beloved her eyes were not so tender Gen. 29. 17. But the Right tendernesse of Conscience is that due Proportion of sense in an awakened ◠Right tenderness and self-observing spirit which labours to keep the soul guarded and unmolested He takes up the resolution of Job My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job 27. 6. q. d. I can endure reproaches enough from any other hand I am so outwardly hardy but from my self and my own Conscience I love not to be upbraided with inward heart-burning and risings in my stomack I am inwardly so sensible This tenderness shews it self in respect of God Others Self 1. Of God in every thing to which God is In respect of God Ex. 10. 26. entitled and hath interest in Moses stands for a Hoof. Our Saviour tender of the least Jod or Title of the Law of God He was all in Mat. 5. 18. Joh. 2. 17. a flame with the zeal of God's house when he saw it perverted to uses of merchandize This is not to be called Strictnesse Scrupulousnesse or Rigidnesse but right Tendernesse and true Zeal The command of God to his People is Exod. 23. 13. In all things whatsoever I have spoken unto you be circumspect 1. Particularly and principally he is tender of those things wherein God's Glory and And Particularly 1. Of Gods Honor. Honour is concerned Our Saviour layeth down this for a Maxime Joh. 7. 18. He that speaketh of himself and acteth for himself seeketh his own glorie but he that seeketh his glorie that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnesse is in him And he therein did vindicate himself against his calumnious Opposers Joh. 8. 49. 50. I honour my Father and ye dishonor me I seek not mine own glorie There is one that seeketh and judgeth This tenderness makes a man altogether regardless of self in respect of Name Credit Family Commoditie yea of Life I count nothing dear to my self so that God may be Act. 20. 24. magnified be it by my loss or life or death The Holy Martyrs counted nothing great or precious or base or hard in relation to God's Honour When the Christian women in Julians time were forbidden to sing their Psalms in their houses they sang out the louder especially when the Emperour was to pass by And they sang out those verses of the Psal 115. 4. 8. The Idols of the heathen are silver and gold the work of mens hands They that make them are like unto them and so are all they that trust in them Yea they added by the appointment of Publia the head and forwardest of the Company to their former wonted Psalms that vers of the 68. Psalm Let God arise let his enemies he scattered And Theodoret. lib. 5. c. 19. when the Emperour in a rage sent for her into his palace and commanded her
Consciences witnessing with them saith the Apostle of the naturall Heathens and their thoughts as well excusing as accusing them They may have tranquillam but not securam conscientiam as Bernard distinguisheth And thus it is said of Socrates who living according to the rules of his naturall enlightened understanding when he came to die and was put to death he took his death with much Resolution and Tranquillitie of minde He said of his enemies They could but kill him they could not hurt him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet for all this no naturall Conscience can be a good Conscience 1. Because though it may cum seipso cum aliis scire yet it doth not cum Deo scire At the best it is liable to that rebuke given unto Peter Matth. 16. 23. Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that Mat. 16. 23 be of God but those which are of men onely 2. Because it is not purged by the bloud of sprinkling It is without Christ therefore without God and Covenant and Promise and Eph. 2. 12. Hope and Mercie 3. Because as it hath not the purifying bloud of the Lamb so nor the purifying water Ezek. 36. 25. of the spirit sprinkled on it whereby it should be cleansed now whatsoever is born of the flesh is still but flesh and onely that which is born of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3. 6. 4. Because it hath not Faith which is that whereby the heart is further purified Act. 15. 9. And the Apostle when he bids Timothy hold faith and a good Conscience tells us as much that first faith must be had and then good Conscience Good Conscience is never without Faith never before Faith This Conscience how ever many may lull themselves asleep on it yet is it a bed shorter then that a man should stretch himself on it and a Isai 28. 20. covering narrower then that a man should wrap himself in it No sure Refuge is it and a strong fort it is not to endure a storming It is not the Ark of Noah of Moses it may be not an Ark of Gopher wood but made of Paper Rushes not pitched with Pitch but daubed with slime not furnisht with all manner of Provision as Noahs was to hold out to the utmost for a whole year and longer Gen. 7. 11. with Gen. 8. 14. but utterly unfurnisht for a day that unless he be taken out of it as Moses was he may there lie and crie and famish and perish This fort is no better then that hold of the idol Berith to which when the men of Shechem fled for Refuge it was fired over their Judg. 9. 46. 49. heads and they perished miserably in it A poor man and this naturall Conscience may perish and burn together Oportet Conscientiam non solum bonam esse tranquillam sed securam Bern. Par. Ser. 4. The fourth use discovers another mistake of theirs who judge their Conscience good when it is nothing so With many that is held for the best Conscience that is most still quiet and sleepie as ignorant people think of a Minister he is the best Minister who is the good neighbour the quiet man who troubles none even he in whose mouth is no reproofs Whereas the Prophet saith They who bless the people cause them to erre and they who are called blessed of them are destroyed Isai 9. 16. and 3. 12. The blinde lead the blinde into the ditch But a man may have so much of this Peace till he be the worse again He may have this Peace too soon he may have it too long There is a Peace of Satans giving Luk. 11. 21. As there is a sword and variance of Christs sending Luk. 12. 51. The kingdom of God is righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. The kingdom of Satan is ignorance and peace and joy in unholy courses yet this is the Conscience which most men call good if it be Pacatè bona they care not though it be malè Pacata Cain desires his Conscience would be quiet therefore he sets upon business of building and travells to go from his discontents Saul makes use 1 Sam. 16. 16 17 23. Act. 24. 25. of musick Felix would stop his present trembling by an abrupt diversion I will take another more convenient season purposely for this Meditation Judas would fill up the mouth of hell and clamours of Matt. 27. 3 4 5. Conscience with loud and bitter Confessions fearfull Exclamations and plenarie Restitution Some call for wine and Mirth to cheer themselves against a day of slaughter All James 5. 5. which is like the drinking cold water to one who is in a feaver who for the present findes relief but his feaver is increased thereby There are four Quiet Consciences and never Four ill quiet Consciences 1. The ignorant mans conscience Luk. 11. 44. an one of them good 1. The ignorant mans Conscience is quiet and still and as the blinde man eates many a hair and drinks many a flie so these know not that they do evil no more then the graves are aware who goeth over them Blindeness of minde makes men past feeling when they commit all uncleanness with greediness Ephes 4. 18 19. Abimelech talks much of his Integritie and Gen. 20. 4 5. Vprightness and stands much upon his Conscience when all was but moralitie or ignorance Without knowledge the Conscience cannot as without Conscience knowledge is not good The Scripture somewhere cals Knowledge the Key but if Knowledge be the Luk. 11. 52. Key Conscience must be the Lock The one must be made fit to the other therefore Paul cals Good Knowledge the Knowledge according to Godliness Now what is a Lock Titus 1. 1. good for without a Key what Conscience good for without Knowledge to open and shut to lock and unlock it and what is the Key good for without the Lock Get both Science and Conscience Glorie not that thou hast got a quiet that is a blinde deaf silent and speechless Conscience The dumb and deaf spirit was the worst spirit to cast out of all the evil spirits wee read of in the Gospel Mar. 9. 25 26 29. The other roaring devils were more easily ejected Better a roaring raging and racking Conscience then a dumb Conscience Mar. 1. 23 26. The second Conscience that is quiet yet 2. The unawakened conscience not good is that Conscience that was yet never well awakened But sin lies at the door like a Mastiff asleep and makes no noise Here is quiet indeed but a dangerous quiet This Conscience either is given over to sleep a perpetuall sleep as God threatens Jer. 51. 39 40. In their heat I will make their feasts and I will make them drunken that they may rejoyce and sleep a perpetuall sleep and not awake saith the Lord. Then will I bring them like lambs to the
that way may be Judg. 8. 31. 9. 18. made for the son of an harlot or Concubine a bastard son to reign alone Must Faith and Charitie and Puritie and Sinceritie and Patience and Honestie and Inoffensiveness of Conscience All go and shall we content our selves onely with Libertie We have fought a good fight and made a good warfare while we have put away Faith and old good Conscience and have left Hymeneus and Alexander free leave to spread their blasphemies if they please no fear of being ejected the Church and delivered up to Satan It is well for them that Paul and Timothie are dead and gone In Jeremie's time when Nebuchadnezzar lay before Jerusalem with his Armie they would make a self-denying Covenant to provide Jer. 34. for the Libertie of the poor servants they made it solemnly They cut the calf in main and went through the parts of it they made it they kept it God diverted the danger they had their end All was safe and quiet They would then be at Libertie from their late Covenant All Covenants binde but pro tempore with some and serve to binde God to us not us to God again God brings back the enemie returns their fear afresh And then serveth them in their kinde Libertie they would have from Conscience from Covenants from bonds of dutie They shall have Libertie enough Behold saith the Lord I proclaim libertie to you a libertie to the sword to Jer. 34. 17. the famine and to the pestilence So may not the Lord say in his anger to such as are all for Libertie I proclaim Libertie to you to sins to errors to strong delusions and swift destruction Go and serve ye every one his own idols Ezek. 20. 39. walk ye after your own hearts lust were not this libertie our greatest servitude were it not much more signe of Grace and Favour if God should rather say as it is in the same Chapter That which cometh into your minde shall not be at all I Ezek. 20. v. 32 37. will ere I have done with you cause you to pass under the rod and bring you under the bond of the Covenant Yet there is a good Libertie of Conscience that we should contend and labour Right Libertie of Conscience for And that is 1. To free our selves from humane additions to Divine Institutions to free Conscience from humane impositions inventions and observations in matters of Religion Gal. 5. 1. 2. To have the Conscience set free from all guilt of sin before God by the bloud of Christ Heb. 9. 12 13 14. and 10. 1 2. 18 19 20. This is the Highest Libertie of the Gospel 3. Libertie from sin not to sin Where the Rom. 8. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 17. Spirit of God is there is libertie indeed but from sin the Apostle means not to sin a libertie from the yoke of Satan not Christ's To be free from sin and servants stil to righteousness Rom 6. 18. but not to be servants of sin and free from righteousness ver 20. 4. Libertie from perplexing scruples which are then removed when the heart is established Heb. 13. 9. by grace and the Conscience settled by the Word of God 5. Libertie from former fears horror and troubles of Conscience Heb. 2. 15. Christ Jesus came to deliver and set free them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage And if the Son make us thus free then are we free indeed Joh. 8. 36. But this libertie to be free from the yoke of dutie and from the fear and grief and sense of sin is the libertie of Hell which the devils contend and suffer for not the libertie of Heaven which the Angels enjoy in the most perfect measure Their Libertie is a Libertie from sin and fear and wrath and bell not a Libertie from Grace and Dutie and They could as Tertullian saith Salvâ fide peccare Salvâ castitate matrimonia violare and he tels them how they shall speed Salva venia in Gehennam detrudentur dum salvo metu peccant Law and Obedience and Subjection but a holy obedient and dutifull Libertie This was the abominable broth of the Gnosticks boiling mentioned before who thought no man could come to be a perfect Christian till he had worn out his Conscience To them all filthy works of darkness were lawful This St Paul and St Peter both do caution us against and tell us how we should understand and use our Libertie Gal. 5. 13. Brethren ye have been called unto Libertie onely use not Libertie for an occasion to the flesh but by Love serve one another As free saith the other 1 Pet. 2. 16. and not using your Libertie for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servant of God Both tell us we must take heed wee eat not too much of this honey least we surfet Both tell us this Libertie sets us not free from the Condition and Dutie of servants unto God or unto righteousness While we were free from Righteousness Paul tels us we were servants of sin Rom. 6. 20. But when we are truly free we yet continue servants to another master being made free from sin ye became the servants of Righteousness ver 18. See Rom. 6. 16 17 18 19 20. There are two masters that divide the world Sin and Righteousness No servant can serve them both none so much a freeman as to bee free from them both The more thou art freed from sin the faster thou art bound unto righteousness and if free from righteousness then the servant of sin CHAP. XIX The Positive Truths arising hence asserted THe one part of the Use of Information was to discover some mistakes and to seek to remove them which was done in the foregoing Chapter The other part remains which is to discover sundry Truths and to assert them which is the subject of this Chapter And first it tels us that whether we look on Timothie as a Christian or as a Minister here are Inferences from it First if we look on Timothie as a Christian and finde him thus charged by S. Paul This charge I commit to thee Son Timothie that thou war a good warfare Holding faith and a good Conscience That a good Conscience is the Christians greatest Charge that he goes withall Whatever thou takest charge of be carefull of this This is the charge of God look to it if thou lose it thy life must go for it What Solomon saith of Wisdom I may say of good Conscience the truest Wisdom Get wisdom get understanding above all thy getting Prov. 4. 5 6 7. So say I Get a good Conscience keep a good Conscience above all getting get it above all keeping keep it forsake not her she shall preserve thee love her she shall keep thee She is a tree of life to them that Prov. 3. 18. lay hold on her happie he that retaineth her But lose this and lose thy soul hate this
his Wine to wash cleanse and search it if defiled his Oyl to mollifie supple and heal it if bruised festered This is the first and great Experiment to be used The second is like unto it namely this 2. The Spirit of Christ to get and seek the Spirit of Christ which is the next principal ingredient in or efficient of a good Conscience It is the Spirit of God with our Spirit that makes the good Conscience In this sense we may allow that of Origen That Conscience is another Spirit in the soul therefore the Apostle saith of his Conscience that it did bear him Rom. 9. 1. witnesse in the Holy Ghost The single Testimonie of natural Conscience is not much to be regarded in many cases but when Conscience is cleared by the Spirit and seconded with the Spirit the Testimony of these two is great and weighty the Spirit of God witnessing thus to our spirit is the clearest Testimony of Rom. 8. 16. of our Adoption and Salvation which thy Conscience alone is not to be credited in for what could the light of our body the eye see and discern if it were not for the light of the Heaven the Sun we should have a continuall Night So without the Spirit the light of God what can Conscience our light see and discern of the things of God Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. that God doth reveal unto his servants the deep mysteries of the Gospel by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him So the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we may know the things which are freely given to us of Cod c. So that wheresoever the spirit of God is there is the good Conscience where it is wanting Conscience cannot be good Where the naturall enlivening Spirit is absent or departed there is no life or vegetation or sense or reason or motion but all death darkness coldnesse c. So where the enlivening Spirit of Grace is wanting to the soul there is no life sense motion comfort but all is dead within and all the works are but dead works But where the Spirit is there is life there is light there is liberty and there is purity there is peace and there is grace there is comfort and there is Conscience there is indeed all 2 Subservient means The subservient means are thirteen whereof the first six direct us what to do the other seven what to avoid First of all those subservient means next to Christ Jesus himself and his Spirit which are the principal Faith is to be sought to 1. Faith make thee a good Conscience Thefore how often do we find faith and good Conscience joyned This next to the bloud of Christ and the purifying water of the Spirit hath the greatest cleansing virtue Act. 15. 9. Christ hath given faith for this end to purifie the heart Where faith is pure the Conscience is pure this makes the good and mends the bad Conscience Faith and good Conscience are made one for the other as the woman and the man to be fellow-helpers each to other Faith is Consciences Keeper Conscience again is Faiths These two like Jonathan and his Armour-bearer may discomfit a whole Hoste 1 Sam. 14. of Philistins when they keep together nothing is hard for them to undertake or like Saul and Jonathan lovely in life and undivided in death Faith and good Conscience do many a good office each for other and are forced to unite in a league offensive and defensive In an offensive league as Simeon and Judah Jud. 1. 3. the one must help the other to expell the Canaanites out of his Coast first and then proceed to expell them out of the others Coasts after Good Conscience helps to expel the Canaanites of fear distrust and despair out of Faiths coasts and to slay Sheshai Ahiman and Talmai these Jud. 1. 10 three sons of Anak and faith again layes to his helping hand to expel the Canaanites of fear guilt deadnesse dulnesse erroneousnesse and Scrupulousnesse out of Consciences coasts And in a defensive league they are joyned as David said to Abiathar Abide with me fear not so saith Faith to Conscience Abide with me Conscience for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life but with me thou shalt be in safety 1 Sam. 22. 23. Faith is the white Alabaster-box in which Consciences pretious Oyntment is put Faith is the bottle into which the wine of good Conscience is poured So again Conscience doth as much for Faith Faith is the light good Conscience is Faiths lanthorn the lanthorn shews forth the light within the lanthorn defends the light from winds and weather without that it be not blown out Conscience holds forth the light of Faith to be seen of men Conscience defends faith that it be not put out Faith is the Apple or sight of the eye Conscience is the eye-lid no eye-lid can see or doth it profit the body at all without the sight within nor can the eye see long if it have not the eye-lids to defend it from Sun dust smoak and the like annoyances and to keep the sight clear So what is Conscience without Faith but a blind and blundering Conscience And what is Faith without Conscience but as a naked weak raw sore eye A three-fold faith necessary to good conscience 1 Justifiing Faith Now this Faith that makes and keeps a good Conscience is three-fold First Justifying Faith there must be apprehending and applying the bloud of Christ Act. 15. 9. This is principally necessary to be sought this fides quâ creditur is the fides qua vivitur the fides quae creditur is not sufficient without this Secondly Doctrinal faith this is the faith 2 Doctrinal Faith here spoken of Hold faith and a good Conscience that is the sound Orthodox faith contend for it continue in it From this Hymenaeus and Alexander swerved and then left the plain path of good Conscience Say not any man is sound in faith and of a good Quam tu secretus es Deus solits magnus lege infatigabili spargens paenale â—caecitates super illicitas cupiditaâ—eâ— Aug. Conf. l. 1. Conscience who is unsound in Judgement and opinions Corrupt opinions breed corrupt Consciences and corruption in morals usually follows the corruption in intellectuals Here begins commonly the first step backward to all Apostacy and the first step forward to all impiety It is a sad story of the Emperour Valens who while he was among the Orthodox had gained much Glory in the Church he had stood firme in the time of Julian the Apostate together with his Brother Valentinian chusing rather to lay down all his Military Honours and imployments than
the great State The godly man saith there is no such necessity for me to have two eyes or two hands there is no necessity of preserving my credit of securing my state of providing for my family no such necessity of gathering riches to live honoured and so dye wealthy but there is an absolute necessity lyes upon me to fly hell save my soul lay hold on eternall life and to this end to get a good conscience If I have but a good conscience left me faith the Christian I have enough while I have that I can want nothing I may be counted poor yet am truly rich I may be looked upon as outwardly sorrowing but behold I am alway rejoycing as dying but I live 2 Cor. 6. Austin said of some Christians Amiserunt omnia quae habebant nunquid fidem nunquid pietatem nunquid interioris hominis bona qui est ante Deum dives de civ Dei l. 1. c. 10. as unknown yet well known as a deceiver yet true as having nothing yet possessing all things I may have dirt cast upon my face good conscience will wipe all off 1 Pet. 3. 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil they may be ashamed who falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ I may lye under great pressures even to despair of help or life good conscience supports me and makes all light 2 Cor. 1. 12. I may have my credit blasted yet repaired againe as Joseph had State ruined yet restored againe as Job had life lost yet found againe as Christ Jesus promised but if conscience be lost I am a lost man The world may with their lightning as the Philosopher saith Consume the scabbard but not at all peirce the sword destroy and split the caske but not spill the liquor or wine in it yet how sad it is that the getting and using conscience is so much among the most of men neglected Every one observeth his rule and way Si curtatus in aequali Ton sore capillos Vel si Toga dissidet impar Horat. Vide Domine quomodo diligenter observent filii bominum pacta literarum syllabarum accepta à prioribus locutoribus à te acceptvae terna pacta perpetuae salutis negligant Conf. l. 1. c. 18. of living but the Christian Every Artificer studieth to be exact in his kind the Taylor hath his measure or his patternes the Carpenter heweth and Squareth his timber the Mason his stone by rule he maketh his wall by Line and Plummet must not the Christian observe his measure his patterne his rule and line The welbred Gentleman is ashamed to be seene abroad in an undecent habit if he be not drest from Top to Toe in the best fashion he thinkes he is not like himselfe And is not the Christian to observe his fashion and demenour Austin did observe and bewaile this exceeding Pathetically the Grammarian observeth his Rules of speaking given him by his master and shall not we observe our Rules of doing given us by God himself the Grammarian or Orator observes his Construction his Pronounciation will not say Inter hominibus for inter homines will not lose you a Letter nor an accent nor an aspiration saith he which is no Letter he will not commit such a Verball fault as to say Ominem for Hominem yet saith he he that will not against the Rules of Grammer the Precepts of his Schoolemaster pronounce Ominem for hominem dare against the Rules of Divinity and precept of God Hate a man odisse Hominem Yea saith he you may observe the Eloquent Orator or Lawyer is more carefull of his words when pleading against his Adversary and is more afraid to speake one word improperly then to aggravate his charge without all charity and Conscience Vigilantissimè Cavet ne Per linguae Errorem dicat inter hominibus et ne per mentis furorem hominem auferat ex hominibus non eavet yea he confesseth and bewaileth it as one of his owne sins when he was a young Scholler that he did abhor Barbarous Solaecisines and Incongruities of speech more then absurdities and incongruities in his actions But let all men know wheresoever Conscience is wanting or not attended there is yet no Grace nor shall there ever be glory First there is yet no Grace at all in that heart the first lesson and the A. B. C. of a Christian is Make Conscience The first thing that God doth worke in that mighty change from nature to Grace and Translation from death to life is the new heart He begins ever with Conscience He a wakens it he softens it enlightneth it enliveneth it He cleanseth it he Sanctifieth it Ezek. 36. 25 26. He dwelleth in it The first worke of Grace is the Donation of a new heart and the change of a stone into flesh The sense of Externall feeling is the first Indication of the life of nature this sense of Internall feeling is the first and best discoverie of the life of Grace He that hath not his Conscience sprinkled purged quickned renewed and of a new impression is not at all of God yet nor belongeth to him Because he neither hath his Image nor his Superscription Therefore neither shall he ever have Glory which is the second thing Secondly where is yet no Good Conscience There shall be no Glory As in the New Creature where God worketh Grace he begins with Conscience as was said before So in the new Covenant where God promiseth Glory he begins with Conscience also This is the Covenant of grace when God promiseth to blot sinnes out of his booke of Remembrance He giveth unto man a New Conscience for a Book of Remembrance unto duty and obedience Heb. 8. 10. 11. 12. This is the Covenant I will make with the house of Israel I will put my lawes into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbor and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest for I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more In which words the Lord alludeth to what he did to his people Israel when he made the old Ceremoniall Covenant with them He spake to them gave them his mind in writing delivered them the two Tables containing the Tenor and duties of the Covenants these Tables were to be layd up in the Arke God will do much more now he will speake to the heart write the law in new Tables fleshly Tables of the heart and keepe them there as in the Arke And there they shall be for a continuall monitor remembrance that they shall need the lesse of outward teaching and humane Laws they having an inward Directer and Admonisher and a Divine Law within God will pardon no mans sinnes which is
on part of the Covenant where this written Law is not in the heart which is another and former part of the Covenant The High Priest might not go into the Sanctum Sanctorum unlesse Sanctified and sprinkled outwardly with the bloud of the appointed expiation nor shall any enter into Heaven whose Conscience is not first sprinkled and purified with the bloud and Spirit of Christ The Persian King had none came in unto him but they were first purified prepared a whole twelve moneth before There shall Esther 2. 12. certainly be admitted into Gods presence and Kingdome nothing that is defiled and uncleane But all must be in some good measure Reu. 21. 27 purified that they may be made meet to be partakers of that inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. In the second place it doth much more reprove those that sometimes had some kind of Conscience and have now lost it This is the losse of losses If a man have losses at Sea he takes on if lost a child he mournes if lost an eye or an Arme he grieves if by a Dead Palsie he hath lost the use of a side he sees Death on himself and reckons himselfe halfe dead what is it thinkest thou to have lost thy Conscience If Quae laedunt oculos festinas tollere si quid est animumi differs curandi tempus in Annum any Moat or Dust be in the eye he Rubbes and wipes his eye and cannot be quiet till he get it out If but a thief in the candle he takes it out but who is sensible of the losse and spoyle of Conscience which is the greatest losse Now a man may recover most losses or beare any losse but this and not be miserable This he cannot sight may be lost and recovered a child may be lost and thou mayst have another credit may be broken and regained as Iosephs state broken and repayred as Iobs liberty lost and regained as Iehoiakins life lost and be redeemed and a better given for it but this is the undoing loss this breaks a man for ever and makes a Bankrupt of him he never recovers This was Iudaas's Rupture This man falles downe Headlong Breakes in pieces in the midst all his bowels fall out with this fall and to his place he hastens The man that hath lost his Conscience may justly cry out with Micha's complaint what have I moreto lose I have lost my God Jud. 18. 24 I have lost my Priest I have lost my Conscience which was to me as both and what have Vt in portum perueni amus regendus est bona Conscientia navigationis nostrae cursus I more I have lost my Jewels and all my goods shall any stop my mouth and say what aylest thou losse of Conscience is like the losse of a Pylot to the Ship or the losse of Card Compasse Sayles Anchors to the Pylot they are at mercy of the Sea and in the next storme in danger of being cast away It s a sad and fearefull sight to see a man in a Phrensie that hath run out of his wits and hath lost his understanding he is now besides himselfe he knowes not friend from foe nor mindeth what he does nor what comes of him what a Phrensie is the man in that is run out of his Conscience He hath lost his Right minde indeed and is quite Distracted and beside himselfe A man cannot be called Compos mentis as a Christian if he be not Compos Gonscientiae It is the Countrimans observation as a Prognostick of an Ill and stormy day to follow If the Sun Rise and appeare betimes and go to bed againe as they call it then they looke for ill weather ere night you may observe it while you will it never fayles If Conscience in a young Professor be up betimes and then go to bed againe such a man hath sorrowes and miseries following upon his spirit and many an ill storme he must expectere he die The losse of Conscience to a man is like the losse of the sting to the Bee shee gathers no more Honey but becomes a Drone and is expelled out of the Hive Losse of Conscience makes a man to be as Nabuchadnezar when he had lost his Reason It was the losse of his Kingdome He was Deposed from the Throne driven away by Dan. 4 33 34 36. his people acknowledged no more for a King nor looked upon as a man but a fit companion for Beasts till he looked up to God and received his reason againe A man rejecting Conscience is like Saul rejecting the word of God rejected and cast off by God for it 1 Sam. 15. 26. Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord hath rejected thee Because thou hast despised knowledge God hath despised thee Hos 4. 6. The losse of Conscience to a man some time acquainted with it and guided by it is like the losse of the Star to the Wise men Mat. 2. it is as much as the losse of all thy Grace and of all thy Peace all thy comfort is worth It is the losse of Christ They had not their joy againe till they saw the Star again nor could they go to Christ without it CHAP. XXII The use of Terror to four sorts of men THe next Use speaketh Terror and that in particular to four sorts of men 1. To such as have no care to get or keep a good Conscience nor to avoid an evill All the diseases of the soul are bred first in an evill and vicious Conscience all the torments miseries of Hel are epitomized in an unquiet and self-tormenting Conscience Suam secum Gehennam Portat Ipsa testis Ipsa judex Ipsa Torter ipsa carcer This man carries his Hell along with him where ever he comes or goes he carries his offence his accuser his witnesse his Judge his Jaylor his tormentor with him This is the sad melancholly Ague which will set thee a shaking that no fire can warme Sua quemque fraus suum facinus suum scelus sua audacia de sanitate ac mente Deturbat Hae sunt improrum furiae hae flammae hae faces Cicero Cur tamen hos tu evasisse putes quos diri conscia facti mens habet attonitos surdo verbere caedit occulto quatīente animo tortore flagellum Juvenal Sat. 13. thee nor canst thou get any heat within thee and though it may intermit and leave thee for a day or two it is but gathering strength to assault thee more fiercely when the next fit comes None can altogether excuss and extinguish Conscience let him do what he can snub'd it may be betrayed it may be as Sampson was Imprisoned it may be you may cut his locks put out his eyes make him grinde and be thy slave and drudge thou maiest be so secure as to make sport with him yet will his locks grow againe his strength will returne and he will be revenged