his head this is the day it hath longed for and the place where it desires to be heard 1 Joh. 3. 20 21. Hereby we know saith the Apostle that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him for if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence or boldnesse before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libertatem aut audaciam quid vis dicendi This will make the Godly man in that great Audit to give up his account with joy and not with grief 4. To all Eternity Conscientia bona perfectè tranquilla et laeâ—a est formalis essentialis beatitudo sanctorum in vita futura Ames de Cons l. 1. c. 15. Lastly which is above all it leads him the way ad Gloriosè Regnandum aeternùmque Triumphandum It is the step to the highest glory and is the state of highest Beatitude To be feasted with the fruits of a good Conscience this is Angels food and one of the sweet-meats of Heaven As the evil accusing and tormenting Conscience is one of the greatest miseries in Hell causing the fire never to be quenched because their worm never dieth So the good Conscience is one principal Delicate in Heaven Therefore in that day Christ will not onely tell the Godly how much he hath done and suffered for them but he will tell his Father what they have done and suffered for him I was hungry these have fed me thirsty these gave me drink These have kept the word of my Patience These were not ashamed of my Name where Satan had his Throne These have kept their Garments unspotted therefore they shall walk with me in white Hence it is that the Crown of Glory is not onely called a Crown of Grace because the gift of God But the Crown of Righteousnesse because the Reward of this warfare for faith and good Conscience Then shall the Godly be satisfied from himself and the fruit of his hands shall be given him Then shall flow Pro. 12. 14 forth from the belly of each Beleever Riverâ— of living water rivers of Peace Joy Comfort to all Eternity where Repentance and Faith and Hope and Patience and Knowledge and Tongues and Prophecying shall cease there shall good Conscience continue and in it Life and Joy and Glory Consider on the other side the miseries of an ill Conscience in every condition both in Mot. 4 life death and after both First in life In midst of prosperity he can have no security Job 20. per totum read especially ver 16 17 22 23 24. He shall suck the poyson of Asps the Vipers tongue shall slay him He shall not see the Rivers the Flouds the Brooks of Honey and Butter In the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in straights Every hand of the wicked shall come upon him when he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is yet eating c. and so Job 15. 21. A dreadful sound is in his ears in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him As Adonijah in the day of his Coronation riseth from the table he and all his Guests fly and shift for themselves a short Reign a mourning Feast Or as Belshazzar in his Banquet when he sees the Hand-writing dread and horrour seizeth on him And as the Syrians upon a secret noise God caused 2 Kin. 7. 6. them to hear fled disorderly from their Tents leaving all their wealth and good chear a booty to the hunger-famished Israelites What torment like that of an ill Conscience of which that forenamed Authour Dr. Stoughton ubi supra excellently speaks All outward blessings saith he cannot make that man happy that hath an ill Conscience no more than warm cloathes can produce heat in a dead carkasse if you would heap never so many upon it There is no peace to the wicked Aut si pax bello pax ea deterior For this man in his greatest fortunes is but like him who is worshipt in the street with cap and knee but as soon as he is stept within doors is cursed and rated by a scolding wife Like him that is lodged in a Bed of Ivory covered with cloth of Gold but all his bones within are broken Like a book of Tragedies bound up in Velvet all fair without but black within the leaves are Gold but the lines are bloud O the rack O the torment O the horrour of a guilty mind There is no hell so dark as an evill conscience Secondly but much more in adversity ill Conscience that hath long lien silent and quiet is apt to cry out and fly in the face as Josephs Brethren in their distresse were forced to cry out Gods hand was just upon them Their sin which was before Peccatum susurrans is now Peccatum clamans such cry out as Saul in his distresse I am sore distressed the Philistims make war upon 1 Sam. 28. 15. me and the Lord hath forsaken me and answers me no more then poor soul he goes to hell for comfort and accordingly he sped Such have neither Joy in Life nor Hope in death Vtrinque timidi as Eusebius Euseb l 6. cap. 42. speaks of some in the time of the Persecution under Decius Cowardly and unsound Christians who were timidi cum ad moriendum â—um ad sacrifiâ—andum A lamentable case neither would their Conscience serve to let them Sacrifice to the Heathen Idols nor would their heart serve them to die for refusing So were they in a miserable strait between two dangers of losing Life and wounding Conscience and could no way satisfy themselves whereas good Conscience had seen in such a case what was presently to be chosen Ill Conscience never made good Martyr yet But there are three times especially wherein ill Conscience proclaimeth Terror and Rev. 8. 13. as the Angell in the Revelation flies over the head of a sinner crying Woe Woe Woe First One Woe in life Secondly Two Woes at death Thirdly But Three Woes at the day of Judgement 1 Woe in this life The first woe is in this life But this how dreadfull soever is the least because the shortest and hath an end in a little space of a few dayes or years therefore it is said the first woe is passed but behold two worse woes come shortly upon it Rev. 9. 12. The Second woe is at death This is a great 2. Woe at death woe double to the former the furnace is heated seven times hotter than it could be in this Life And as the Apostle saith of the Godlies afflictions all the sufferings of this present time are not to be compared to that Glory that is to follow so may we say all the sufferings of this life to the wicked whether in Body or in Spirit are nothing to be compared to those that follow This is a long lasting woe But yet of the second woe it is also said
follow the example of all sufferings Jesus Christ who being 1 Pet. 2. 21 22 23. reviled reviled not again when he suffered be threatened not but committed his cause to him who judgeth righteously yet had he done no evil neither was any guile found in his mouth 6. Lastly be sure thou commit thy self to God when thou art suffering according to the will of God in well doing so is the Apostles rule 1 Pet. 4. 19. Suffering times had not need bee sinning times he will never make good Martyr that is not a good Saint first The Israelites were warned not to go Ex. 2. 22. out of their doors but to be within at their Sacrifice when the Destroyer was abroad Daniel was within at his Prayers when the Inquisitors came to apprehend him Many cautions are to be kept in suffering times and many ingredients must be in our sufferings that they may be comfortable sufferings 1. It is not poena but causa was said of old Cum boni malique pariter afflicti sunt non ideo ipsi distincti non sunt quia distinctum non est quod utrique perpessi sunt manet enim dissimilitudo passorum etiam in similitudine passionum licet sub eodem tormento non est idem virtus vitium Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 1. c. 8. that is true but not enough 2. I may say it is not poena and causa too that makes a Martyr but conscientia 3. Nor is it every conscientia but conscientia Dei 4. Nor is it poena causa conscientia but vita that makes the Martyr 5. But poena causa conscientia vita patientia aut modus patiendi makes the compleat Martyr A good cause a good conscience a good life a good death a good matter to suffer for a good manner to suffer in make the happie sufferer and the honourable Martyr Thus much of the Passive or suffering Conscience CHAP. XIIII Of the last Good Conscience the Conscience of Charitie THus are we come to speak of the last of Of the conscience of charity those ten particular good Consciences which we propounded at first that is the Conscience of Charity which I have reserved this last place for not because it is of the last or least worth but because the world hath put it in the last place if so be yet it hath left it any place at all This is that which the Apostle speaks of 1 Tim. 1. 5. As the end and perfection of the Law and Gospel too Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and faith unfaigned Whereever you see truth of Charity question not there the truth of Conscience The more of Charity the more of Conscience And the now totall want almost of this in the world argues the generall want of good Conscience in this Iron Age of the world These are the daies foretold by our Saviour wherein all iniquity doth abound Mat. 24. 12 and vice increase because Conscience doth decrease and Charity wax cold The world was never more full of knowledg nor emptie of Charitie 1 Cor. 8. 1. All have that knowledg which puffs up few that charity which should build up and while Conscience in most men calls for freedom Charity is by all left bound But it is by this badge of Charity that you may know a Disciple of Christ better then by the Joh. 13. 35 Language of a Galilean Now this Charity is twofold Charity of two kinds Externall or Civill Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall and Christian And this Externall Charity is threefold respecting three sorts of persons 1 Poore 2 Neighbours 3 Enemies 1. To the poore is to be shewed the love or Outward or civil and that first to the poor charity of beneficence To the neighbour and friend a love of benevolence and to the enemie a love of forgiveness Tranquilla Conscientia est omnibus dulcis nulli gravis utens amico ad gratiam inimico ad patientiam cunctis ad benevolentiam quibus potest ad beneficentiam Bernard de Consc 1. To the poore is to be shewed the charity of beneficence and well-doing This kinde of charity is the worlds grand Benefactor the poores great Almoner the widows Treasurer the Orphans Guardian the oppressed mans Patron This lendeth eyes to the blinde feet to the lame deals out bread to the hungry clothing to the naked maketh the widows heart sing for joy and brings upon the Donour the blessing of him who was ready to perish How did Zacheus shew the truth of the work of grace upon his Conscience but by those first-fruits of his charity Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor Luk. 19. 8. How did Job vindicate his conscientiousness and sincerity against all his friends detracting calumnies Job 30. 12 13 14 15 16. but by such unquestionable demonstrations of his charity I delivered the poor that cried the fatherless and him that had no helper The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I made the widows heart to sing for joy I was eyes to the blinde and feet was I to the lame I was a father to the poor c. Religious Obadiah left it to Elias to judge of his sincerity and whether he truly feared God or no 1 Kin. 18. 13. Was it not told my Lord what I did when Jezabel slew the Prophets of the Lord how I hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets and sed them by fifty in a cave with bread and water Nehemiah that matchlesse pattern of a self-denying Magistrate had much comfort in relating what oppressions he had removed and what ease he had procured to his Country how chargeable others had been how charitable he not so much as ever requiring the Governours bread nor his ordinary allowance but had at his own charge redeemed many Captives relieved many impoverished and when he hath done concludeth to the comfort of his Conscience Nehem. 5. 19. Think upon me my God for good according to all that I have done for this people To be short it is one of the good mans Characters Psal 112. 5. That he is mercifull and giveth and of the good womans That she stretcheth out her hand to the poor and in her heart and mouth is the law of kindness Prov. 31. 20 26. Abraham and Lot so famous of old for faith and piety were persons as eminent for their charity liberality and hospitality What should I speak of the Alms of Cornelius who hath a compleat description of a godâ—y man applied to him That he was a devout man one that feared God with all his house who gave much Almes to the People and prayed to God alway These Alms of his are said to come into remembrance with God Acts 10. 2 4. Yea Every liberall soul deviseth liberall things and by liberall things shall he stand Isai 32. 8. When the Instruments of the Churle are evil he deviseth wicked devices
far from me vanitie and lies With David Deliver my soul O Lord from lying lips Pro. 30. 8. Psal 120. 2. and from a deceitfull tongue Lord cast out this unclean Spirit and Create in me a clean heart and renew in me a right spirit No shipwrack so perilous no disease so dangerous no deceiver so deceitfull n abysse so deep no death so deadly no hell so dark no pit so steep to fall into and so narrow to get out of as the evill Conscincee But I come to the Exhortation which contains a double charge The text is no other then an Apostolicall Exhortation or divine charge therefore this Use must be made or the chiefe Use is not made yet First to each Christian secondly to the Minister especially First to each Christian who makes Conscience of any thing that he especially make it his care to get a good Conscience and to keep it As Solomon of Divine Wisdome so I of Conscience wherein is all practical Wisdome Above all thy getting get that saith he Pro. 4. 5. 7. So say I above all gettings whatsoever get a good Conscience and whatsoever thou gettest more get it still with a good Conscience and with all keeping keep thy conscience keep it pure keep it clean keep it in peace keep it thy friend keep it as thou wouldest keep the apple of thine eye Life and Death are in the power of Conscience it is the principal thing therefore above all getting and keeping look to this exercise thy self daily with the Act. 24. 16. Apostle herein to have thy Conscience alwayes on thy side and have it without offence both to God and man What the Orator answered to one demanding what was principally necessary to make a good Orator Pronounciation said he What second Pronounciation What third Pronounciation he answered still as if Pronounciation did chiefly and wholly make a compleat Orator So do you ask what is most necessary to make a good Christian I answer Conscience And what next if you ask I answer still Conscience And what again Conscience still say I. As of the Scholler comming from the University when he hath been a Student for many years the best Testimony which can be given him is that he hath profited Tam doctrinâ quam moribus In Learning and Religion So the best Testimony that can be given of a Christan going from the Church when he hath been a frequent hearer is That he hath profited tam scientiâ quam Conscientiâ both in science and in Conscience To back and strengthen this exhortation I shall first lay down some Motives to inforce then some Means to direct to the better attaining and retaining a good Conscience Let this move first that God doth weigh Motive 1 and try the Conscience of a man The Lord weigheth the Spirits saith Solomon Gold and Pro. 16. 2. Silver men do weigh Grace and Spirits men cannot God weigheth not Gold or Silver or Honours or Estates but he onely weigheth the Spirits and Consciences of men So much of Conscience as is in any person or duty or action or suffering so much of thank and worth with God This is thank-worthy with God if a man for Conscience suffer and take it patiently That â—ction is denominated good that proceeds from a principle of Conscience that suffering good which is for Conscience So much Conscience toward God so much Comfort is coming to thee from God So much Conscience before God so much confidence before God But on the other side if Conscience be Motive 2 wanting a man shall suffer losse of all he hath and lose the thing he hath done or suffered or expended When a man shall say with Jehu See my zeal for the Lord I have fasted I hove fought I have been active I have suffered God will say Have you fasted at all to me have you done all this out of Conscience When you fasted was it not to your selves and when you did eat was it not to your selves therefore walk in the sparks which you have kindled If you have done well and truly Conscientiously and Religiously as Jotham said once do you then rejoyce in Jud. 9. 19. Conscience and let Conscience rejoyce in you but if otherwise a fire will break out of that bramble the evil Conscience and consume you and all your works What a mighty stickler was Jehu a man of an active and impetuous spirit yet he lost his reward for all his pains and seeming zeal his Conscience was not right Ananias lost his cost charges after he had contributed so much Alexander lost his reward and comfort after he had suffered so much Judas lost al after he had followed Christ so long and preached Christ to others so often Mot. 3 This leads a man to perfect and compleat happinesse both here and hereafter Here in this world it brings two the greatest benefits being the onely way Ad bene beatèque vivendum Ad bene beatèque moriendum In Life Ad bene beateque vivendum A good Conscience is the onely way to the good and blessed life This makes the good dayes whether thou be in prosperity or in adversity First if in Prosperity this will be as a hedge about all thou hast As the Candle of God in thy Tabernacle as the widdowes Cruse and Barrel will never fail of somewhat to supply and support thee 2. If in Adversity this will be like the good Houswifes candle that goes not out by night Or like Israels pillar of fire that will not leave thee in a wildernesse This like Ruth to Naomi will stick to thee stay by thee goe with thee where thou liest it will lie and as thou farest it will take part with thee when all other comforts and dearest friends like Orpah lift up the voyce and weep and take their leave of thee This like Ittai the Gittite to David saith 2 Sam. 15. 21. as the Lord liveth in what place soever thou art be it in life or death there will I be This turns Reproach into Honour takes up a stigmatizing invective as if it were a Garland throwes the viper into the fire and feels no harm This fears neither fury of Tyrants nor fire of furnace It dreads neither Anakim nor Emim nor Zamzummim This makes a man more than a Conqueror Rom. 8. 37. which is a very high and bold expression of a poor Paul why Paul who art thou A Conquerour is the highest Title he gives Laws to Kingdomes his place is above that of a King it hath been held more glory to make a conquest than to wear a Crown Al Kings have been crowned all Kings have not been Conquerours yet are we Conquerours and more than Conquerours First The Conquerour may overcome to day yet be overcome to morrow of the same enemy Victorem a victo superari saepe videmus Secondly The Conquerour may find the same enemy increasing by new Associations and then shake of his Yoke Thirdly The Conquerour
cannot say though he have the better Sword but his enemy may have the better Cause that the other cause may after carry it Fourthly The Conqueror may pay so dear for his victory that he doth not greatly joy in it Ezek. 32. 27. Fifthly The Conqueror may when all is done go down to Hell with his sword by his side and his weapons of war under his head though he was the terror of the mighty in the land of the living and then his iniquity shall lie heavie on his bones But we are more than Conquerours we have overcome to day and shall to morrow our cause is a victorious cause carries not Fortunam Caesaris but Honorem Christi therefore shall go forth conquering and to conquer and let Satan and all his Confederates unite their forces Principalities Powers height depth we fear them not all we are secure of victory and safety O glorious and happy condition when a man hath lost all he is as if he had gained all the world when killed all the day long as if he was triumphing all the day long I suffer and am bound saith the Apostle but the word of God is not bound my Cause is not bound my Conscience Dr. Stoughton in his Sermon before K. James is not bound a man takes no hurt while Conscience is safe Excellently Dr. Stoughton to this purpose Job was more happy when he fate upon the dung-hill than Adam when he sinned in Paradise because though his body were dissolved into worms and every worm acted by a Devill as Origen would have it to increase his torment yet he had not eaten the forbidden fruit which bred this worm of Conscience and made him fly from God The Bride that hath good Chear within and good musick and a good Bridegroome with her may be merry though the hail chance to rattle upon the tyles without upon her wedding-day Though the world should rattle about his ears a man may sit merry that sits at the Feast of a good Conscience Nay the Child of God by virtue of this in the midst of the waves of affliction is as secure as that child which in a Shipwrack was upon a plank in his mothers lap till she awaked him securely sleeping and then with his pretty countenance sweetly smiling and by and by sportingly asking a stroke to beat the naughty waves and at last when they continued boystrous for all that sharply chiding them as though they had been but his play-fellowes O the innocency O the comfort of Peace O the tranquility of a spotlesse mind There is no Heaven so clear as a good Conscience So that learned Doctor Good Conscience is to a man his closest and dearest friend that like Baruch to Jeremy will visit him in prison and will keep his Evidences safe for him in a time of common conflagration and calamity Jer. 32. 11 14. Or rather it is that Earthen vessel wherein alone our Evidences of our heavenly state are put and preserved from being corrupted both our Evidences our sealed Evidence and our open Evidence for a Christian must have two the sealed Evidence of Justification and the open Evidence of Sanctification are kept in this Vrne as Baruch was commanded to put both Jeremies Evidences of his purchase the sealed and the open in an Earthen vessel Yea good Conscience is not onely the Non est utilius remedium nec certius testimonium futerae beatitudinis bonâ Conscientiâ Bern. de in t domo preserver of Assurance but is a part of it for what is Assurance of Salvation but in the originall an Act of Grace passed in favour of a poor repenting and beleeving sinner in the Court of Heaven entred and ingrossed in the Book of Life which because procured by the Price of Bloud is written out in the precious Blood of Christ signed and sealed by the impresse of the Spirit of promise which is the Fathers and the Sons Agent on this behalf and attested by good Conscience as that which sets to his his seal next God and is then delivered into the hand of Faith as Gods Act and Deed for the sole Use and Benefit of a rightly purified Conscience Or Assurance is a Transcript taken out of the book of life that sealed book sealed in the bosome and counsell of the Father now unclasped by the hand of the Lamb written fair out in his Bloud attested by the Spirit of God within and endorsed without with the graces and fruits of the Spirit and at last passed in the Court and entred in the Office of good Conscience This this is the Assurance of the Saints when Gods Spirit attests to our Spirit and again our Spirit doth withal consent with the Spirit of God The other benefit of good Conscience 2 At Death here is at death when as it enables and directs ad benè beatèque moriendum an undertaking that all Philosophy could never make good nor did attempt but did onely promise the way ad benè beatèque vivendum yet fell short of that Conscience is the way to well-living it is the onely way to well-dying This gives rejoycing as the Apostle saith to him that is under the sentence and stroke of death and is now despairing altogether of this life 2 Cor. 1. 9. Good Conscience as it is sweeter than life so it is stronger than death and the good man and his Conscience are like Saul and Jonathan lovely in their life and which is above all in death they are not divided Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent Prideaux History pag. 247 The goods embarqued in good Conscience are the onely goods which will be saved when there is any shipwrack of State or Life And those are the goods we should get said the Emperour Lewes of Bavyer which in a shipwrack can swim out as well as thy self A saying also which Q. Mary is said to have Englished and much delighted in These are two great Benefits in this Life here But there are two greater for hereafter Conscience helping Ad tutò intrepidèque comparendum Ad Gloriosè aeternèque triumphandum 3 At judgment Conscience hath two other kindnesses which it will doe for the Soule beyond those two fore-named in life and death It will stand a man in stead when he is to make his appearance before the Tribunal of God Where Courage dares not shew his face nor Eloquence open his mouth where Majestie hath no respect and Greatnesse no favour and as the Martyr said Where money bears no mastery There good Conscience is known and befriended there it dares appear thither it doth appeal when the King and the Captain and the Great man and the Mighty man and the Chief Commander and the Rich and the Bond and the Free cry to the mountains to hide them and to the rocks to fall Rev. 6. 15. 16. on them that they may not appear Then doth good Conscience lift up
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 good of this conscience is most seene in such a sad plight when I am most full of sorrow then most full of joy when nearest to death then have I most of life when having nothing I possesse all things Oh the Cordials sincere conscience feedes the afflicted soule with The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Sincerity 1 Cor. 5. 8. and 2 Cor. 1. 12. is a very elegant and most significant word signifying that tryall that is made of things by the Sun-light as the Eagle is said by Aristotle and Pliny to bring her young unto the full sight of the Sunne to try whether they be generous and legitimate or spurious those that can with open eye endure the light thereof she owneth those which wink she rejecteth Or as a Chapman openeth Wares to see what deceit or flaw is in them B. Andrews The Latine word Sincerus signifies that which is without all mixture as Mel sinè Cera honey without any wax or drosse bread without Mar. 14. 3. leaven wooll undyed sincere milke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 2. which hath no mixture nothing but milke like that precious Spikenard in the Alabaster Box 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure and naturall Nard Jerom. Theophilus Euthemius à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deducunt ut quae sit fidelis germana Pura minimeque vitiata Which sincerity of conscience if you desire Notes of sincerity to know it try it by these notes 1. It makes a man abhor all guile and fraud and renounce the hidden things of dishonesty and cast off the cloake of craftinesse makes a man like Jacob in his time a plaine downright or upright man or like Nathaniel a right-bred Israelite indeed in whom was no guile such was Paul and his fellow Apostles 2 Corinthians 2. 17. We are not as many that corrupt and compound the Word of God according to our hearers phancy or our owne advantage but as of sincerity but as of God and in the sight of God speake we in Christ So 2 Cor. 4. 2. We walke not in craftinesse or handle the word of God deceitfully Where is sincerity there is an Identity ever and a samenesse between heart tongue and hand betweene outside and inside what he seems he is what he promiseth he performeth as was said before of Origen Vt Docuit vixit He taught lived alike vixit ut Docuit and lived taught Micaiah shewed his sincerity when he resolved not to concur in the Agreement of the Prophets to please their Soveraigne Lord the King But what the Lord saith unto me as the Lord liveth that will I speake 1 King 22. 14. And Caleb his sincerity when he resolved not to betray his trust and promote the Agreement of the People as did his corrupt fellow Representatives who voted according to the fickcle mindes of their Soveraigne Lord the People But as for me saith he I spake as it was in my heart Josh 14. 7. And I fully followed the Lord vers 8. Sincerity abhorres equally both feare and flattery and declines alike unnecessary opposition and unwarrantable complyance The sincere mans heart yea and path too is like the street of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 21. The street of the City was pure gold as it were transparent glasse Purity is the glory of Gold Perspicuity and Transparentnesse of Glasse both are the glory of the sincere man who is both Glasse and Gold Transparent Glasse you may see through him he is all one without and within and Pure Gold that the more you see into him the more you see his worth 2. Sincerity being all to the light as was Note 2 said before in the opening of the word Joh. 3. 20. He that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God they are cast in a right mold and are of the right make Therefore as of sincerity and as of God and as in the sight of God are put together 2 Cor. 2. 17. He that is such ownes nothing but what will endure the Sunne To God he saith often Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reines and my heart Psal 26. 2. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me Psal 139. 23 24. Thus dare not an unsound heart say So Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 16 17. To the most searching Ministery he saith Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to understand wherein I have erred Job 6. 24. To every discerning mans conscience he offers to approve himselfe in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me I shall not take it ill Yea he is the man who can be tryed by God and his Country Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we have had our conversation in the world said the Apostle 1 Thess 2. 10. Yea he saith to his most observing adversary Let him write a Booke against me I shall be able to answer all charges and wipe off all aspersions said Job in the assurance of a sincere conscience Job 31. 35. Wary Jacob would make sure worke beforehand if ever he should have his dealings called in question that he should never be touched in his sincerity So shall my righteousnesse answer for me in time to come when it shall come before thy face Gen. 30. 33. And this made him so confident when he was pursued and charged with the plunder of Labans Gods Search all my stuffe discerne what is thine spare not what hast thou found among all my houshold-stuffe Set it before my brethren and thy brethren I aske no favour Oh the boldnesse and bravenesse of sincerity Nec Proprium veretur judicium de se nec alienum Bernard Josephs brethren were so brought up by their Father Jacob to hate all fraud and falsehood that knowing their own integrity they offered themselves and their Sacks to any search or examination Behold say they the money which was in our sacks mouths we brought againe how then should we steale out of our Lords house silver or gold Gen. 44. 9. 3. The sincere man is semper ubique idem 3. Note still one and the same alone or in company Leave him to himselfe he is all one as if you looke on He is as the clarified honey cleare to the bottome he is like the twelve Gates of the holy City Rev. 21. 21. each Gate was of one piece and that of pearle one solid and entire rich pearle it was not artificially made and joyned together but one naturall rich pearle Such is the sincere man all of a piece nothing but one solid pearle The Arke was pitched within with the same pitch which it was pitched without withall such is the sincere man within and
all things to all men that he might by all faire means save some for by foule meanes of violence we shall save none but lose all By this art the Gospell was first propagated by this plaine inoffensive amiable and winning carriage very Gentiles were overcome to the imbracing of the Truth But our self-pleasing hath undone all How much need have we to pray for the Christians of our times as Paul did for the Philippians Phil. 1. 9 10. That your love may abound in knowledge and in all judgement that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence to the day of Christ 6 Rule If thou wouldest sometimes not give offence thou must be willing to depart with thy owne right Mat. 15. 27. Notwithstanding that the children are free yet least we should offend them said our Saviour go thou to the sea and cast an hooke and take up the fish that first cometh up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of money that give unto them for me and thee 2. Not to the wicked or to those that are without must we give any occasion of offence 2 We must not give offence to wicked men but remember that rule Colos 4. 5. Walke in wisdome toward them that are without Lay not a stumbling block before the face of the blinde The Beleeving servant must be obedient and faithfull not onely to the Beleeving Master and the gentle but to the unbeleeving and froward that the Gospell be not blasphemed 1 Tim. 6. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 1. The godly woman must labour to have her modest and gracious carriage towards a froward and irreligious husband speake more to his conscience then the Word hath done to the worst of men that seeke occasion we must labour to take away all occasion 1 Having a good Conscience and your conversation benest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as evill doers they may be ashamed 1 Pet. 2. 12 3. 16. when they falsely accuse your good conversation yea not that onely but that they may glorifie God in the day of visitation Thus did Daniel demeane himself that though so many eyes were upon him they could fasten nothing upon him to charge him with Dan. 6. 4. Obj. When the Disciples informed Christ Ponere scandulum infirmis in rebus medijs est peccatu sed pharisaeiâ— non sunt infirmis sed malitiosi calamnia huic pertinaces nebulanes jubet dominus ne decorum scandalo sint solliciti Par of the Pharisees offence taken at his Doctrine he seemed to neglect it Let them alone Mat. 15. 12. 14. q. d. If they be offended let them be offended Ans It is to no end to be troubled if wicked stubborne men take offence when none is given they sin we sin not woe to the world because of offence taken its impossible but an â—ffending world should be apt to be offended To lay a stumbling-block before the weake is evill but the Pharisees here saith Paraeus were malicious calumniators and sinned of pertinacious perversenesse therefore no heed to be taken of them 2. Wee are to distinguish of the matter whence an offence is taken an indifferent action we may forbeare to prevent offence-taking but a necessary duty is not to be omitted or truth to be suppressed to avoid all the worlds offences Let thy eye and actions be good although their eye and interpretation be evill Nihil boni aut liciti est omittendum propter scandalum acceptum hominum Pharisaico ingenio praeditorum Ames de cons 1. 5. c. 11. And learned Camero Scandalum quod oritur ex rebus per se bonis necessariis non licet evitare quia non est faciendum malum ut eveniat bonum Et postea Itaque ut maxime tumultuetur mundus tamen omnia etiam extrema quaeque subeunda sunt ut stet illibat a Dei gloria Vide plura in Jo. Cam. Praelect in Mat. 18. v. 7. 2. We must take heed that we do not offend 2 Not offend our selves our selves man is bound to study selfe-preservation If thy eye offend thee pluck it out Mat. 13. 9. As there is one kinde of base and unworthy self-love self-seeking self-pleasing self-preferring self-fearing c. so there is also another noble and religious and most necessary self-love self-pleasing and self-preferring viz. when I more regard what my conscience cals for that I may satisfie my duty and keep in with my selfe rather then to gratifie a thousand requests But my self-pleasing must never be to the prejudice of another This is the worst disease of all in these worst of times Christ came to set a man at variance with father and mother but never with himself Next to the favour of God labour to continue in thy own favour and good opinion Let not thy own heart reproach thee within whose tongue soever may abroad Take heed of going over-far in a way of serving men heap not coals of fire on thy head to do any man a kindness better offend all the world then thy own self Gods servants have found it an easie matter to do or suffer any thing to forgo or undergo every thing so they might not offend self and have Conscience distasted Flavianus Clemens a Favorite in Domitians Court had so much interest in the Emperors esteem that he conferred highest Honours upon him and intended to make his Son his Successor in the Empire but blessed Flavianus rather then he would give offence to his conscience in the matter of his Religion was content to bear the turning of the Emperours great love into extream hatred so as he hated him to death and oppressed his whole house Theodoret reports of Hormisda a Nobleman in Persia who because he would not wound his conscience in conforming to the Religion of the Court was put into ragged cloaths deprived of all his Honours and set to keep Camels After a long time the King seeing him in that base condition and calling to minde his former estate pittied him brought him to the Palace and causeth him to be cloathed like a Nobleman again and then perswades him to deny Christ He presently rends his â—â—lken cloaths and â—ays If for these you think to have me deny my Faith take them again and so with scorn he was cast out It was a high expression of Zuinglius Quas non oportet mortes prae-eligere quod non supplicium potius ferre imò in quam profundam inferni abyssum non intrare quà m contra conscientiam atttestari 2. The other part of inoffensiveness is that 2. We must not be forward to take offence we be not apt to take offence This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 29. translated malignity which Aristotle defineth a taking of every thing in the worst sense A Nabal-like disposition 1 Sam. 25. 17. Morum asperitatem ac difficultatem sonat Erasmus
adde drunkenness to thirst Deut. 29. 19 No observation among all the Proverbs is more often verified then that of Every mans way being good in his own eyes when the end thereof proves the way of death Prov. 14. 12. and 16. 25. Yea there be many that live and die in this condition and go away without any horrour and roaring of Conscience whom the world calls blessed saying they die like lambs having no bands in death nor trouble upon Psal 73. 4. Conscience Whenas they die rather like Salomons oxe who goes to the slaughter or the fool who goes to the stocks when neither is aware Prov. 7. 22. Or if you will have them die like lambs like Jeremie's Lambs they die Jer. 51. 38 39. They are drunken with delusions and sleep a perpetual sleep before they die therefore they rejoyce and are secure but I will bring them like lambs to the slaughter c. saith the Lord And they shall not awake till they are awakened in hell It is given to him to be in safetie for a little while saith Job and he resteth in it but they shall be cut off as the tops of the ears of corn These Job 24. 24 persons die so securely not because the sting of sin is taken out which were their happiness but because the sting of Conscience is taken out which is their miserie This is therefore a dangerous quiet Conscience Let me rather die the most dreadful death of the righteous then the most hopeful and easie death of the wicked Happier a thousand times to be fetcht away in an instant in Elias his fierie 2 Ki. 2. 11. charet and in a whirlwinde into heaven then to have Nabals lingring fit of the stone and to 1 Sam. 25. 37 38. lie ten daies before his death as if he had been asleep When these are interred wee may as well say Stone to Stone as Earth to Earth and Dust to Dust There is another ill quiet Conscience still 4. The hardened conscience which is the hardened Conscience This treasures up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 4 5. The hypocrites in heart heap up Job 36. 13. wrath they cry not when God smiteth Then this there is not a greater plague on Earth or Judgement in hell It is a sin that hath as much miserie and a miserie that hath as much sin in it as can be imagined Now there is a six-fold hardness of Conscience A six-fold hardness as you may observe so many several expressions in the Storie of Pharoah's heart-hardness 1. There is a natural hardness and insensibleness 1. Naturall hardness in Conscience which is part of the sin and punishment of Original sin which is in all alike This is that heart of stone which is in all till by Regeneration it be changed into an heart of flesh This made Paul say he Ezek. 36. 25. was alive once without the Law Rom 7. 9. His heart had then this hardness on it he saw no such sinfulness in sin as afterward therefore did he apprehend no danger Thus Pharoahs heart was at first before ever Moses came It might be said Pharoahs heart was hard by natural and original hardness 2. There is an attracted and acquired hardness 2. Attracted voluntarie hardness Acquired by the crebrous and iterated acts of sin which by degrees by the latent deceitfulness in it and the secret curse of God upon it withall brings the soul over to a dedolencie and unsensibleness therefore doth the Apostle warn some Heb. 3. 13. To exhort one another daily least the heart be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin And he doth report of others Ephes 4. 17 18 19. who by walking in the vanitie of their minde had the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindeness or hardness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to laseiviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Where you have the steps by which the poor soul goes down to hell and the blinde winding-stairs by which you are going down to the chambers of death if you take not heed 1. The first step is vanitie of minde Therein we commonly think there is little hurt Thought is free Phancie will be working c. So long as we do no evil or speak not vainly what would you have us do Remember that vanitie of minde is the first step to Hell 2. The second step is Darkness of understanding which ever follows upon vanitie of minde and this darkness of understanding leads you to the third step Alienation in affection from the life of God having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God Alienated actively on their part they loathing God a sinfull alienation And alienated passively and on God's part His soul abhorring them Zech. 11. 8. a Judicial alienation 4. This alienation leadeth to more darkness still and Excaecation stricken with blindeness of ignorance One sin begets another in infinitum Darkness of Understanding caused heart-alienation from God That again produceth ignorance alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them 5. This ignorance leads next step to hardness not naturall and simple but double and judicial because of the hardness of their heart 6. This hardness carries you on next step to insensibleness who being past feeling 7. Insensibleness brings on Desperateness being past feeling they have Given themselves over Here you may give them over for lost when they come once to this seventh step to give themselves or sell 1 King 21. 25. themselves as Ahab did to work wickedness Here is their love of sin they give themselves over to it when nothing is to be gotten by it 8. This desperateness leads to brutishness and turns a man into a beast They give themselves over to lasciviousness They have 2 Pet. 2. 14 Jer. 5. 8. Rom. 13. 13. Phil. 3. 19. 2 Pet. 2. 12 Eyes full of adulterie and are like fed horses in the morning neighing after their neighbours wife their life is chambering and wantonness their bellie their god their end destruction like beasts they live like beasts they die which are made to be taken and destroied 9. This brutishness leades to laboriousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the working of uncleanness They will labour as a horse in a mill to commit iniquitie They draw sin with cords and iniquitie with cart-ropes Isai 5. 18. As in a gracious heart love of God puts upon any labour for God so love of sin makes men drudges to their lusts and to the Devil 10. This laboriousness next step carries them to unsatiableness which is the next step to Hell They gave themselves over to work all uncleanness nothing comes amiss to them so it bee uncleanness All uncleanness Rom. 1. 23 25. in sinful though natural acts and in more sinful unnatural acts of
a good When quiet Conscience good Haec est bona tranquilla Conscientia eorum qui carnem spiâ—â—â—ui subdiderunt qui cum his qui oderunt pacem sunt Pacifici Bern. Par. Serm. Conscience when it is purified as well as pacified as was said before when it hath done all his four Offices and speaketh peace that is a happy peace and when it hath those ten properties of good Conscience before spoke of viz of faith of puritie of sinceritie of inoffensiveness and of charitie and when it is a well sighted well spoken and an honest dealing Conscience when it is rightly tender and rightly hardy and after all these speaketh peace This is the onely right peace of Conscience the peace that passeth understanding 5 Vse The fift use is to discover another ordinarie mistake in men who are apt to judge a troubled Conscience a good Conscience and for no other reason but because troubled These are the third sort of men who are mistaken in judging of Conscience these are as much out as the former they judged Conscience good because quiet these on the other side say I have a good Conscience because I have had troubles in Conscience therefore I hope the worst is past bitterness of death and hell is over But so had Cain and Ahab and Judas and Simon Magus There is Conscientia mala turbata as well as mala pacata Thou maist have had great horrour and a dreadful sound in thy ears yet onely felt Job 15. 21. the beginning of sorrows Eccles 9. 3. The wise man saith that there are they whose heart is full of rage and madness while they live yet after that they go to the dead and damned out of one hell they go into another and out of one Ex inferno ad inferuum Eze. 15. 7. fire into another Then is Death and Hell cast into the Lake of fire Now there is a troubled Conscience which is not the better for it And there is a Conscience troubled again then which there is no better The ill troubled Conscience is known by 3 Marks of an ill troubled conscience these three marks When those troubles have an ill originall or rise whence they take their beginning 2. When there is an ill carriage and frame of spirit under them 3. When an ill course is taken to remove them Then from first to last these troubles are evil troubles 1. Troubles are then evil when the root is 1. When proceed from an evil root and cause evil whence they spring Ahab is much troubled till he is sick again not because his covetous lust is unmortified but becaus unsatisfied Amnon is sick because his brutish lust is nor satisfied Herod was troubled in his minde Mat. 2. 3. when he heard Christ was born But no good trouble this it had no good spring but came from hence that he feared he should be disturbed in his Dominion and his usurped power should be abolished So Prov. 4. 16. There be they that cannot sleep if they have done no mischief all day These troubles are not from sin but for it that they may effect it Hell is full of such troubled spirits This is indeed the Devils trouble The unclean spirit going thorow places where there is no good to be done for his purpose seeketh rest but findeth none This is cum diabolo conscire or consentire and may be called the Devils Conscience 2. When if it be at all for sin it is not so much for the intrinsecal evil and sinfulness that is in sin as in regard of the eventuall and consequential evils that attend sin and the punishment that follows Thus Ahab after his sin is troubled walks heavily puts on sackcloth and is humbled and fasts and lies in sackcloth 1 King 21. 27. But all this ado is not for grief of the sin committed but for fear of the punishment threatened So did Cain crie out because of his punishment Judas because he must be damned Magus desires praiers that none of those evils told him of by Peter should come upon him and Act. 8. 24. there was all his trouble This is to be troubled for Hell not for sin Hell it self is full of such troubled Consciences where there is continuall weeping wailing and gnashing of teetb for their pains but not the least Repentance for their sins 2. When the Carriage under the troubles 2. When attended with an ill carriage under it is evil then it is an evil trouble as 1. when the man doth rage and swell and storm under the stroke of God but his uncircumcised heart is never a whit broken to accept of the punishment of his iniquitie Cain was troubled enough at his sentence pronounced by God he was not troubled aright it was not at all for his sin nor did he at all humble himself under the just sentence of God but rageth and stormeth at his punishment My punishment is greater then I can bear So those Isai 8. 21 22. who fret themselves curse God and King and all that comes in their way And they look upward and downwand upon the earth and behold trouble and darkness and they are driven to darkness 2. When you see a man go on in sin under his Troubles these are ill troubles Eelix sometime trembled while Paul was at work upon his Conscience but all this trembling did no good upon his Conscience Paul left Felix as he found him an incorrigible sinner sinning against checks of his own Conscience And Felix left Paul as he found him He could not be moved ere the more to do Act. 24. 27. 1 King 12. 33. 2 Chron. 28. 22. him Justice Felix left Paul bound Jeroboam was as ill and that wicked Ahaz much worse after judgements upon them Simon Magis waxed worse and worse after that warning given him by Peter Hell is likewise full of such troubled Consciences there is continuall sorrowing but yet continuall sinning Rev. 16. 11. 9. 20 21. They gnaw their tongues because of their pains yet blaspheme God with their tongues and repent not to give him glorie as they Revel 16. 11. It is not the thorn in the hand throbbing and burning which makes the hand well but the pulling of it out 3. Those are ill troubles whose cure is 3. When an ill cure sought evil or when an evil course is taken for their removal as 1. When men go to outward means to remove an inward grief and go not to God Cain goes and travels first leaves his Countrey to see if he can leave his sting of Conscience he afterwards settles himself to emploiment in building but Cain carries his hell with him Saul while his ill fit is on him sends for David and seekes to still his distempered spirit by his musick An ill Diversion doth but Prorogue not end the disease It is like the casting of water upon the outside of the house when it is all of a flame within or
bewail and lament his sin Psal 51. 3. My sin is ever before me I will acknowledge my sin c. What shal I say Oh thou Job 40. 3 4. preserver of men for I have finned Job 7. 20. 3. When upon such confession and bewailing of sin he forsakes it Prov. 28. 13. The Promise of Mercie is to such Such a troubled soul saith Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further 4. When not onely sin is forsaken in respect of the outward act but the heart is changed and mortified to the love of sin when God hath hidden all pride from man Job 33. 17. by means of all his trouble this is a good trouble when the sin-troubled soul saith I finde now more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets and her hands as bands whoso pleaseth God shal be delivered from ber Eccles 7. 26. 5. When the heart is not onely changed from the love of sin but is carried out to seek after Christ for rest and Righteousness when Mat. 11. 29. Zech. 13. 1. Joh. 3. 14 15. we go to this Physitian to get rest to the soul and go to this Fountain to wash away sin and uncleanness Those are happie stings of the serpent that cause us to look up to the brazen serpent And that Pursuer doth us no hurt which doth drive us the faster to the Citie of Refuge 6. Lastly when after all this the Conscience is made more careful and more tender ever after Job 34. 31 32. Now I have smarted for it I will no more offend saith 2 Cor. 7. 11. Optimum est tunc sentiri vermem cum possit etiam suffocari hic mordeat ut moriatur paulatim desmat mordere Bern. Par. Serm. the right troubled spirit That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquitie I will do no more It is an excellent hopefull signe saith Bernard to feel this Worm of Conscience gnawing and biting while it is here biting it may be kill'd and when it is biting it is dying Mordear ne moriar Let me rather be bitten that this worm may after die then be unbitten that I should ever die What was Julius Cesars Motto is every Christians in this case Semel quam semper To die at once rather then to languish ever The next mistake is of them who think 6. Mistake they have a good Conscience but it is an Erroneous Conscience They pretend to Conscience in some thing yea more then others but it is a mis-informed Conscience The Pharisees made a matter of Conscience of it to take off hearers and followers from Matt. 23. Christ to make Proselytes to themselves Paul once thought he could not do God better service then in persecuting the Apostles Act. 26. 9. and Preachers of those times and to disperse the flocks How far was Saul gone with this disease when he would make the old Covenant an old Almanack which was made with the Gibeonites He would needs be wiser then all his Predecessours and more Conscientious and an impulsion of spirit with a pang of Conscience such it was set him on He did it in his zeal it is said to the house of 2 Sam. 21. 2 Israel But was it therefore good because he had such a persuasion did not his Realm first and his house at last smart for such an errour in breaking that Covenant which was at first subdolously obtained and inconsiderately made yet fieri non debuit factum valuit Much was spoken at first of the evil haunts Chap. 2. of this Conscience we may therefore say the less here we shall onely adde some of his common Marks whereby it may be discovered it is impossible to enumerate all his Wiles and Exorbitancies Some and his chief among them wee shall name 1. His grand and greatest mistake is to leave the Word which is the standing Rule to a rectified and judicious Conscience and to prefer a Tradition or some humane invention before an express Precept Thus did the Pharisees Matt. 15. 13. 2. Erroneous Conscience leaveth the waters of Siloah the holy Scriptures that ran softly and uniformly and constantly and takes extraordinarie Providence for a Rule in stead of Precepts whereas Gods Providences Deut. 13. 3. Dan. 11. 35 both prospering and adverse are oft more Probatorie then Directorie To tempt and trie rather then to warrant or discourage proceedings But erroneous Conscience imputes his success to his cause and his cause prospering he entitles God's cause This was Rabshakehs Divinitie Am I come hither Isai 36. 10. without God God hath said Go up against Jerusalem This was the Divinitie of the Caldeans Hab. 1. 11. Then shall his minde change with his success and he shall pass over and offend imputing this his power to his God These are apt to say Jer. 50. 7. We offend not because they have sinned and we have prevailed But if Gods Permissive Providence and our prevailing success make any thing lawfull what is then sinfull that is in our power Then were not God's written will but our will and power Providence concurring the Rule and Measure of lawfull and unlawfull But Providences are various and uncertain Our Rule must be constant and certain Providence can never be made a Rule for first no Conclusion thence can be certain and infallible saith the wise man Eccles 9. 1 2. All things come alike to all c. so that none can know love or hatred by all that is before him Secondly The success which God doth often in his Providence lay out for men is short of mans Expectation and the most industrious endeavours Eccles 9. 11. The race is not to the swift c. Thirdly Gods wise and secret Providence doth oft disappoint and frustrate the expectation of the wisest and the best of men Eccles 7. 15. There is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness and a wicked man who prolongeth his life in his wickedness The like he saith again Eccles 8. 14. Fourthly Providences are various and full of alternations that it were a brutish kinde of Logick to conclude any thing positively thence concerning the minde of God or the state of man Then when Paul and all his companie escape their shipwrack they must be all Saints when the Viper is on his hand he must be a murderer now and when the Viper is in the fire he must be a God again All the consequences alike valid Fit Divinitie this for Barbarians not for Christians But Solomon would have us cease from such kind of daring reasonings when he concludes Eccles 8. ult I beheld all the work of God that a man cannot finde out the work that is done under the sun because though a man labour to seek it out yea further though a wise man think to know it yet shall
on thee ere he hath done for his eyes put out and will destroy thee though he perish with thee Peccatum susurrans will prove Peccatum exclamans the witnesses might be slaine but did soon rise againe and up to heaven they went to accuse the world of Irreligion and Impiety Rev. 11. 2. To such as are haunted and fâ—â—â—owed with that griesly and ghastly fury of an evill accusing gnawing and corroding Conscience no wolfe on the breast like this no worm in the inwards like this torment it never lies quiet it s ever gnawing and corroding as no phrenfie so outragious as the roaring and raging Conscience It is like the raging Sea which cannot rest Esay 57. 21. No winds abroad cause an Earthquake but what wind is inclosed in the bowels of the earth no outward pressures can so torment as this inward horror the wind within causeth the Gollick paines not all the winds blustering about our ears but that little wind though it make no noise that is shut up in the bowels and pent up that wrings and tortures the body what are all the paines of body to the gripes and gnawing and wringings of an accusing disquieted Conscience This is the heart that continually meditates Terror to it self there is no darkenesse Paena autem vehemens multo saevior illis quas Caeditius gravis invenit Rhadamantus nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore Testem Ju. 1 Tim. 5. 24. 2 Sam. 13. 13. 1 King 2. 44. Gen. 42. 22 or shadow of death like his blacknesse of darkenesse He flies from the Iron weapon and the bow of steele shall strike him thorow The glistering sword cometh out of his gall all darkenesse is hid in hir secret place a fire not blowne shall consume him Job 20. 24 25 26. His sins have now found him out and are going before him to judgement whither he himself shall shortly follow I whither shall I go saith he to his offended Conscience where shall I leave my sin and shame and Conscience againe replies thou knowest all the evill that thy heart is privy too as Solomon said to Shemei nay saith Conscience you would not hear me as Reuben said to his brethren did I not speak to you and tell you then you must take what follows you have troubled Conscience and Conscience will trouble thee Men make light of the checks and admonitions of Conscience while they are in pursuit of sin and amidst their prosperity but when distress and anguish comes to take hold of them how do they cry out Oh Conscience Conscience Oh that I had hearkened to Conscience as it said of Rich Craesus who glorying in his wealth Solon told him that no man could reckon himself happy till he saw his end Craesus regarded not till being overcome by Cyrus and condemned to be burnt to death then he remembred what Solon had said to him and in the fire he cryed out Oh Solon Solon being asked what he meant he told them now he thought of Solons words and found them true and repented that he had made no more use of them when time was 3. It speaks terror to such as have an unwakened unsensible and sleepy Conscience no Lethargie so dangerous and near to death Gelidae est quasi mortis imago The Lethargick sleepy stupid Conscience is the most hopelesse Conscience that can be The dumb deaf silent speechlesse bedrid Conscience is the most desperate disease in the world The Physitian cures the Lethargy by a feaver if he can cast his patient into one and let me tell thee it is better God should cast thee into a hot burning feaver of Conscience by any affliction or horror whatsoever then that thou shouldest go sleeping and snoring to Hell It is not a more certaine token of death approaching to the body when you see speech gone eyes set in the head breath failing feeling lost pulse stopping excrements coming away unawares that such a one is drawing on to his Grave Then when you see the eyes of Conscience set feeling gone checks cease Heart-smiting done all Sins perpetrated yet the Soul lies wallowing in his noysome Excrements that such a Soul is drawing on to the Chambers of Hell The body of the former sleeps but his 2. Pet. 2. 3. Death slacks not the Soul of the latter sleeps too But his Judgement and Damnation slumbers not but is hastening upon him 4. It speaks Terror again to such as are already fallen or are entring into that disease called by Divines Vastatio Conscientiae the wasting or Consumption of Conscience the worst Consumption Such a Disease as the Phisitian meddles with none so bad This if not very timely prevented and stayed turns ever into one of those two desperat and incurable Diseases thou wilt either be stricken with a cold benumming Palsie or Lethargie and so be half dead while thou art alive or into a raging and desperate Phrensy it turns which will make thee be half in Hell while thou art alive The one was Nabals disease who was stricken with it that he became as cold hard and livelesse as a stone and was no better than a breathing Clot and so he died and is much like that Plague threatned Zach. 14. 12. where the flesh rots and consumes upon their feet while they stand their eyes consume away in their holes and their tongues in their mouthes so that they have neither sight nor tast nor speech nor motion yet living Death it self were to be chosen before such a Life The other was Joram's disease whom God smote in his Bowels with an incurable disease of which he lay in great extreamity for two years space and at last his very Bowels 2. Chron. 21. 19. fell out by reason of his sicknesse day by day and so he died in great horrour of whom may be said as was said to Maximinus that Tyrant and bloudy Persecutor when swarms of Lice did Gender in his diseased putrified body dayly did crawl about him that no Physitian could endure to come near him divers of them being slain because for the filthy stink they could not endure his presence others slain because they could find no means to cure him one of the Physitians then spake plainly to him and told him Nec est humanus iste Morbus nec medicis curatur It is not a naturall disease but a Divine stroke of Gods hand it is past the Physitians skill to deal with it CHAP. XXIII Of the Vse of Consolation ANd here we cannot but Proclaim the Happiness and commend the Wisdome of those blessed Souls that in this crooked and perverse Generation have made the better part their Choise and Care viz. to get and keep the good Conscience that Conscience void of offence before God and men that have preferred Purity of Conscience before Liberty and have studied Vprightnesse while others have studied Policy and fleshly wisdome These are like the few Names in Sardis who had not defiled their Garments