is a conscience washed in the blood of Christ that is the first step of a good conscience Heb. 9. 14. I say the first step is to be washed in the blood of Christ that is to have the guilt of sin clean done away in him As in Rev. 1. 5. He is the faithful witness that hath offered up to God a Sacrifice which hath fully satisfied him as Isa 53. 11. This Chapter is full of this Discourse Again A good conscience being so washed will endeavour to avoid all offences both to God and man as you see in Acts 24. 16. This washing and purging doth not only make clean but also keeps it clean It doth not only justifie the soul but also it sanctifies Heb. 9. 14. 2. A good conscience is a quick-sighted conscience and that two wayes In seeing what is Good Bad. 1. He sees the good and rejoyceth as Paul in 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing saith the Apostle is in the testimony of a good conscience that with godly sincerity we have walked Here the conscience sees the good 2. A good Conscience sees the evil and strives against it As you see the same Apostle Rom. 7. 23 24. But I see saith Paul another law in my members O wretched man that I am here is a quick-sighted Conscience he sees the old man striving sin endeavouring to make inroads upon the poor soul very often and therefore it is happy for any soul that hath a sight of it By this you see that a good Conscience is quick sighted And yet further such a Conscience will not deceive thee he will not lie quiet when thou doest evil but will tug with thee for repentance and therefore whoever thou art that hast a dead Conscience and that liest quiet seest no evil in thy corrupt nature thou mayst have cause to fear that the guilt is not washed away but that thou art still in the state of nature Again a good Conscience fears to sin nay he trembles at it and the reason is because it is against his God because God hates it therefore he hates it See an example of this in Gen. 39. 9. How shall I do it sayes Joseph seeing the sin is against my God I dare not do it Let this teach all that love God to answer Sathan and all their tempters thus I will not yield to any thing that is against my God Again a good Conscience fears to wound it self by leaving undâ—ne those duties which God requâ—reth of him and therefore his work is to keep it self pure and unspotted as Paul saith in 2 Tim. 1. 3. and his work is to find out and do the will of God Such a Conscience is alwayes fearfull that he doth too little for God and that his heart is never right enough in what he doth These are the marks to know a good Conscience there are many more marks to know a good Conscience by but for the present these are all that I shall name this being only by the way to make the other more clear The next thing is the worth or value of a good Conscience Although I cannot tell or declare the just value yet I shall shew some of the worth or value of a good Conscience by which you shall see how good it is to have such a Conscience and to do it I shall lay down these four grounds which will make it appear why it is at such a rate 1. A good Conscience is worth much because it tels thee thou art at peace with God thy Conscience testifies to thee that thou art so as Paul saith 2 Cor. 1. 12. 2. A good Conscience speaks peace to thee and excuseth thee as Paul saith Ro. 2. 15. When Sathan and all thy accusers flie in thy face thy Conscience tels thee Christ hath paid and satisfied the just Law of God to the full and that thou art acquitted fully This is of much worth to thee and thou canst not set worth enough on it 3. The comfort of thy life is much in this that thou hast not a feared Conscience neither a dead Conscience neither a Conscience subjected to dead works but that thy Conscience is awake and feels and is sensible of evil and also of good and that it tels thee daily without flattery how the case stands with thee I say such a Conscience is much to be valued that deals plainly and flies in thy face when thou sinnest and that will never leave thee till thou see and repent of it and also when thou doest that which is good that Conscience will also tell thee thou doest thy duty and thou mayst expect God and his Spirit with thee in doing his will Search and see now whether this be not worth much 4. The worth and value of a good Conscience is very high at the time of death When death comes to take thy life what is a good Conscience worth then O then 't is worth much What would a man whose Conscience condemns him give then for this good Conscience even ten thousand worlds if he had them I tell thee that then it will bring thee into the presence of God with joy whereas on the contrary it will be as that saying of our Lord Mar. 9 46. a worm which will not die Is a good Conscience of such worth O then strive to keep a good Conscience let thy exercise be much in it as the Apostle Paul saith Act. 24. 16. both towards God and man first to God see thou do those duties he requires of thee and see thou wound not thy Conscience by thy neglect hearken what thy Conscience saith and quench not those whisperings when it tels thee thou must do this duty and forbear that evil I say whatever thou doest keep it clear between God and thy soul Again keep a good Conscience towards God and man and to do it observe these things 1. That thou avoid carnal company and carnal speaking for that will much offend thy Conscience because thou shouldst make the Saints thy companions and thy Experiences of God thy discourse 2. Be often in private speaking to thy Father for he longs to hear from thee and thy Conscience will soon tell thee that thou hast found him meeting thee God is a loving Father and he delights to have his Children often speaking to him and keeps a book of Remembrance as in Mal. 3. 16 17. God will make up such among his Jewels and as a father spareth his son that serveth him so will God spare such a soul 3. Have a care what thou doest in thy dealings among men keep a good Conscience here thou shalt find many idle words not fit to come out of thy mouth and many times thy Conscience tels thee that it is evil avoid it now and set a watch before thy heart and lips that thou mayst keep a clear Conscience And be sure that thou defraud no man but deal justly or else thou wilt hurt thy conscience seek truth as the Apostle Paul saith
destroy both open sins in others and secret sins in himself and he is most busie with that at home he will harbour no sin so neer the spirit of God Seventhly A godly man makes Conscience of time he accounts his time precious and therefore he takes much care how he spends it and by this indeed may every man be discerned in taking notice how men spend their times A godly man takes all opportunities to do his duty is carfull that he waste not that which was bought at so deer a rate he knows it cost the blood of Christ as 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And also the blood of many a Saint hath been spent for it to gain this liberty and time we now enjoy and therefore the godly man will not squander it away he knows how to employ himself in it he is not like to those that say they know not how to pass away time and therefore use foolish gaming and carnal mirth no he is not to seek what to do in any spare time his heart is on God and his glory and therefore when time is to be had he studies how he may advance that glory Again he knows that Fellowship and Communion with God is sweet to him and therefore hath no time to spend wherein he desireth not this enjoyment Also he sees much of the minde of God in his Word and therefore all spare time that he can have he imploys himself to search it out He sees Communion with the Saints and Communion with the godly both pretious and profitable and therefore his heart is so after it that he cannot waste any of his precious time in carnal and fruitless Discourses his delight is to meditate in the precepts of God day and night as David saith in Psal 1. where thou hast this largely set forth there thou shalt finde what are the ways of the godly and also what kinde of men wicked men are which make no conscience of time how they spend it And here now let none deceive themselves and shift off this Mark as though it did not concern them for assure your selves t is a truth that godly men account time precious and make Conscience how they spend it Lord teach me to number my dayes saith David that I may spend my time in wisdom Again the godly man knows that time is uncertain and therefore whilst he hath it he will not be imployed about base and unfruitful Acts. And therefore now who ever thou art that hast not thus valued time look into that 1 Pet 1 2 3 4 5. Is it not a shame that a godly man should live in sin what shall he spend his time as doth the wicked Did Christ die on the Cross for a people to make them sons of God Heirs with himself and shall they live to the flesh and spend their time after that as 1 Pet. 4. Then I pray from what did Christ Redeem his Saints was it not from sin from dead works as 1 Pet. 1. 17 18. if not what meaneth that saying of the Apostle Paul in Eph. 4. 1 2 3 what meaneth that 1 Pet. 1. 14 15 also that in 1 Pet. 2. 9 10 11 12. Read lay these to heart for thou seest it is a truth that the Saints make conscience of their time A godly man sees that he was called to that end and therefore makes aright use of it I shall end this branch with the same Advice Caution that the Apostle used to the Hebrews in ch 3. 12 13 14. And I say take heed lest thou hast an evil heart in departing from the living God and from the ways of godliness to spend thy time in idleness and profaness lest thou finde thy heart besotted with the deceitfulness of sin and so instead of holding out and persevering in holiness thou art cut off and cast out as a dead branch and so witherest away even to destruction See what Christ saith Joh. 15. 6. Read and consider this Chapter Eightly Wouldst thou know a godly man thou shalt finde him out by his manner of performing holy duties thou mayst perceive his heart to be affected with what he doth If he prayes thou shalt see how his words savour of the Spirit of God in him so in his Discourse his experience of God flows from him And here thou mayst know him from one who enjoys not the Spirit of God easily thus though the godly mans abilites be small yet his duties are performed rightly the other out of fear of Judgement or out of formality or to appease Conscience keeps much ado as the Pharisees did of whom Christ speaks in Matth. 6. thinking to get something by it and so salve up their wounded Consciences who cry guilty But the godly man doth his duties out of a tender love and obedience to the object who hath so loved him and so maketh good that word of the Apostle John we love him because he first loved us so he doth them out of love and also out of Obedience to his Commands A godly man performs holy duties because God commands them and so maketh good that saying of Christ If ye love me keep my Commandments A godly man in his duties rests not on them but flies from them to Christ and accounts all that is done in the creatures strength but as dung and dross Again a godly man hath a low esteem of himself and he thinks he is in his best but an unprofitable servant He desireth not a high esteem in the sight of men This thou mayst see in a godly mans performances of duties Ninthly and Lastly Wouldst thou know a godly man then take that course to finde him as Christ speaks of in the 7 of Matthew ver 16. to 21. See what fruit he beareth a godly man bringeth forth good fruit and by that thou mayst know him He is as David saith Like a tree planted by the rivers side which bringeth forth his fruit in due season his leaf withereth not it is not so with the wicked see Psal 1. Here thou mayst know a godly man from frothy turbulent-spirited men the godly man bringeth forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. But the other three sorts there mentioned were carried away they could not have patience to wait so long on God something choaks their hearts therefore be not deceived as Paul saith neither mistake in this for if thou doest miscarry here all is lost Ephes 5. where from ver 1. to 26. the Apostle discourseth what godliness is and what kind of men godly men should be and also the ungodly what they are Read and Consider A godly man is a fruitful man and therefore be not deceived Let men go under what title or name soever they will pretend what they will t is to no end except they bring forth fruits they cannot be godly and therefore now we come to the last pinch give me leave to tell thee who ever thou art great or small rich or poor let thy
To come more nearly to the business Thou shalt know him by his will he hath yet a perverse will his will is not subject to the Law of God Rom. 8. 7. Tell such a man of the righteous laws of God and of his sad condition what cares he it may be he will mock or else bid you hold your tongue his will is so set upon sin that you may see his shame daily As for the Word of God it may be he reads it but to no purpose for he never carries away any part of it and for any duties or service of God it is not pleasing to him and he sees no life in it Mal. 3. 14 15. He eyes not the will of God but his own will he delights in Further his desires are not to know God Then his Conscience terrifies him 3. Wouldst thou find out an ungodly man thou needst not go far For thou mayst know him by his hatred to God and his wayes Dost thou not hear him blaspheme curse swear revile and rend the name of God this is easily proved by most of the sad souls in England Others are more Civilized yet some secret sins keep off their love from God and his wayes pride covetousness and such like Alas if thou set thy heart upon any sin though thou think t is not worth taking notice of yet this is enough to keep off thy heart for ever from God See Ananias and Sapphira in Act. 5. They kept back part of the price and that did undo them for ever And now here thou mayst take notice of many in these dayes who pretend they are godly do but mark them and thou shalt see they keep much or at least part of the price they when time serves can break out so that discovery is made a rotten heart cannot hold out because his love is where his treasure is as Christ saith Mat. 6. 21. Read and lay this to heart 4. We may discern an ungodly man by his desires What is that which he desires most 'T is mostly to be rich to have honour to live without care and enjoy outward contentments Mark him now when didst thou ever see him lament in his desires after the enjoyment of God when didst thou ever find him disputing for God and his wayes It may be thou shalt find them going to hear the Word and thrusting among godly men but do but mark them and as soon as he is departed his mind is on what he desires and that he followeth And this is the sad tone of many poor Professors at this day they profess to know God but in works deny him 5. Thou mayst know an ungodly man by his hatred to the Saints such a man loves not the Saints he can see nothing wherefore he should love them that are indeed the Saints he looks on them as simple poor mean-spirited fools he knows no better Saint then himself for saith he I hope to be saved as well as the best of you that are so precise and so shifts off all upon an unsound rotten hope Poor soul know thou art yet in the gall of bitterness what account wilt thou give to the Lord Christ when thou shalt stand naked before him with all thy sins about thee what thinkest thou wouldest thou not love a Saint then Remember Christ is coming in flaming fire to render vengeance on thee and all others that hate his Saints and obey not his Gospel Mat. 25. 41. to the end If thou hast ears to hear then hear 6. Wouldst thou know an ungodly man thou shalt know him by this He loves sin it is so sweet to him that he cannot part with it Tell such a man a carnal story let him see another drunk and hear another blaspheme he laughs at it let it be what sin it will it never troubles him he delights either in these or some other poor soul he knows not how hateful it is in the sight of God Take notice now in these times where in the hand of the Magistrate is lifted up against sin and thou shalt see what shift poor souls make to sin They will be drunk in the night others more secret yet God finds them out of which we have many examples of late and it s like more will follow speedily Fear then and tremble at your sins and repent that thou mayst be hid in the day of the Lambs wrath See Rev. 6. 15 16 17. 7 8. A man in the state of nature is known by this He makes no conscience of Time neither cares he how it is spent he never considers what it cost and that had it not been for the sakes of the Saints he had now been in hell he minds not holy duties they are irksom to him Take notice of him and thou shalt see him employed about his own lusts most of his time is spent in vain company he thinks not of his uncertainty except it happen that sickness fall on him and then his Conscience flies in his face but being recovered he returns with the sow to wallow in the mire This is the sad condition of many poor souls who if they continue so will one day cry for the hils to fall on them to hide them from the presence of God 9. And lastly an ungodly man may be known by that mark which Christ used Mat. 7. 18. A corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit Thou mayest know a wicked man by his fruit See what his fruit is it is of the flesh it is sin that he bears as the Apostle saith Gal. 5. 19. 20 21. Well know now from this Word of God that being in this condition thou hast a sad sentence lying on thee Thou shalt be cut down and cast into the fire Mat. 7. 19. They are the words of Christ and thou art under this condemnation and whither wilt thou flie from his presence See in Psal 139. v. 7 8. God will find thee out one day do what thou canst and then what will become of thee See Rev. 22. 15. there 's thy portion The wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God Vse Is it so that a natural man is ungodly and that we have found him who he is and that he is in so sad a condition O then poor soul take this advice flie to the Lord Christ there is no way but that or be damned Let no time slip now yet whilest thou hast life it may be thou mayst finde grace Christ came on purpose to save sinners Cry to him that thou mayst be one of them Turn now from sin and set thy face against the appearance of it Love the Saints get acquainted with them thou hast heard who they are they will inform thy dark judgement Leave off thy old Companions think it no shame to do it for thou must do it if ever thou be saved Turn from Satan to God that thou mayst receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those that are sanctified Read the 3.
making any peace with it Therefore now try and search whether thou hast this Spirit of the living God acting in thee carrying up thy soul to actions of life and power If thou art inspired by the Spirit of God then take it for ever granted that these effects will follow 3. The Spirit of God is an operative Spirit it acts in the soul spiritual things it begets its own likeness in the soul it molds the soul in the new mold of Obedience to the Commands of God The spirit of God works in the soul these operative Acts. First It works Faith 2. It makes the soul live by Faith 3. It drives him to see all in Christ and nothing in himself 1. It works faith in the soul to believe that there is no way to come to God but by Christ and that it is the work of God to draw the soul to him John 6. 29. 2. This Faith will work up the soul to lay hold on him it will cause the soul to reach forth it self to Christ to see him to be the Son of God and to trust and relie on him for life 3. The Spirit of God doth by Faith work a mortifying of sin as it is in Rom 8. 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin Where these works of the Spirit of God come it operates it carries the soul to a new frame of life He that is in Christ is a new creature saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 17. This work of Faith lifts up the soul to that spiritual Combat between the spirit and the flesh I see saith Paul a law in my members warring against the Law of my minde It is by this work of Faith that all the Saints hold out in this warfare that they still continue a Resolution against sin to kill that and to bring every lust into subjection Secondly It makes the soul live by faith that is it makes him as it were see feel and enjoy all the Riches of God in the Lord Christ you may in part see in the 11. to the Hebrews what it is to live by faith It is to cast thy self with a full confidence upon God and Christ for life and salvation To live by faith is to do these three things 1. To put credit and confidence in God that what is looked for we shall enjoy 2. To look for our happiness only in Christ and not in our selves 3. To rest satisfied as if we already had our desire to live by faith is to credit what God sayes to Rely on him to trust him with confidence that whatsoever he hath promised to us his poor creatures he will make good Heaven and earth shall pass away saith Christ but not one jot or title of my word or promise shall fail It is to cast our selves on God and Christ believing that he will and is fully able to save even to the utmost in every condition 2. Again to live by Faith is to live by something without our selves it is to see all in Christ and nothing in our selves it is to look on our own righteousness as dung and wholly to submit to the righteousness of Christ as you also may see in Phil. 3 8 9 10. 3. To live by Faith is to rest satisfied in every dispensation of God that all is for the best to us and to look on all things as if they were already done according to Gods promise or our own desire so that our content may be in every thing as well as if we had all things All things are yours saith Paul you are Christs and Christ is Gods there is a full enjoyment of all 4. The Spirit of God works also by direction directing of every soul whom it hath wrought the former effects in to do the will of God to walk in the wayes of his Commandments whispering in every soul and saying This is the way walk in it This duty thou must do and that evil thou must leave undone And therefore examine thy self doest thou not finde the Spirit of God telling thee thou must perform Duties of holiness and refrain the evil of sin if not I dare say thou art yet in thy sins 5. The Spirit of God works also by assisting us to do that which it directs us to it never directs us to do a Duty and leaves us No it stay by us and enables us to go thorow it and not only so but even with sighs to God for us which cannot be by us uttered it helps our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. Examine thy soul when didst thou ever go to God by prayer or any Duty else that this Spirit was not ready to assist thee and to thy comfort take notice of this for time to come and thou shalt finde this truth if ever thou hast had this work on thee 6. God closes up all our comfort in this life in this last degree of his working that is by a full witness of his Spirit that we are his sons and daughters And this is a very high enjoyment indeed yet no higher then all the Saints do enjoy and indeed thou art not a Saint till thou hast this Witness in thy soul And this the Apostle Paul affirmeth in Gal. 4. 6 7. Because ye are sons God hath sent the witness of his spirit to testifie it to you and therefore ye are no more servants Again in 1 Joh. 3. 2. Now are we the sons of God And in Joh. 1. 12. He gives all that through faith lay hold on him power to be his sons God doth evidence to all the Saints their interest in Christ and this is to them a sure Record as 1 Joh. 5. 7. 8. This is the new name and the white stone spoken of in Rev. 2. 17. which none knoweth save he that hath it This is that earnest which Paul tells the Ephesians of in chap. 1. 14. And this also you may see in Phil. 1. 13. and 4. 30. After you believed you were sealed with the holy Spirit the which Spirit you see is that which seals all the Saints to the day of Redemption and all this is given to the Saints to assure them that God is their Father and Christ their Husband as the Spouse in the Text doth witness And yet further take notice how God doth this great work he gives the Spirit as the earnest of our Inheritance as a man gives one pound or one shilling in earnest to pay a thousand so the Lord gives his Spirit in earnest of enjoying his presence in Heaven for ever And the soul that hath this Earnest may be sure that as God is God he shall have the whole sum made good to him And that all the Saints may know this is true God will set a seal on their souls to confirm them and therefore thou mayest say on good grounds if thou hast this seal and this earnest that thou canst not miss of Christ Again the Spirit assures us by working in us a fruitfulness
the Lord that bought them as the Apostle saith Some called Ranters and others who deny the Word and Ordinances of God are laid open Others who are more subtile yet deny Duties of holiness are discovered And now there is like to be no cloak for them by reason those that are truly godly are withdrawing from them And therefore now O ye wandring Stars hear what the Word of God saith which some of you deny in the Epistle of Jude and let thy Conscience if it be not seared answer What thinkest thou will become of thee when the Lord Christ cometh in flaming fire to render vengeance on such as thou art for not obeying his Gospel 2 Thess 1. 8 9 10. Shift it not off but receive this as thy portion But to return to what was in hand before A godly man may be easily known from any of these by his love to that which they despise namely and in answer to the first they delight to see the will of God accomplished O how sweet are his mercies He eyes God and blesseth him for reckoning with his enemies and for bringing their necks to the block and for rooting out their posterity and for dealing thus closely with that hypocritical Nation of Scotland and for discovering his and our enemies that plot and contrive to hinder the great work of God on foot among us Also by his love to the Word of God and his Ordinances and his delight in holy duties by these thou mayst know a godly man Mark them now for time to come for they only are the godly men 4. A godly man may be known yet further by his desires a godly mans desires are chiefly to these following particulars 1. His great desire is that he may bring some glory to God and he is earnest about it Thou mayst take notice of such a man he is ready to embrace all opportunities wherein he may do any good and will not flinch back though he see great difficulty in it his heart tels him that God hath called him to it and therefore he desireth to imbrace it 2. In the next place he is earnest in his desires after Communion with God as David saith My soul longeth and panteth for thee Psal 84. 2. so it is with a truly godly man O how his soul longs more and more to enjoy the presence of God! how doth it refresh his poor soul to have communion with him all his Springs are in him the very life of a godly man is in his communion with God what sweet discourses are there between God and such a soul And yet 3. his desires are not only for himself but also for others as the Apostle 1 Joh. 1. 3. that others may have fellowshp in this precious enjoyment 4. Such a soul his desires are always submissive desires content with every thing God sees fit for him Phil. 4. 11. Therefore now by this try and see who is the godly man 5. A godly man who is so indeed is full of the bowels of love towards the Saints Beloved now observe who they are that his love is so to they are such as walk holily such as he is perswaded have the image of Christ in them and for this only he loves them And here by the way thou mayst know him also from those that cry up Forms and love one another because they are under the same form and so judge carnally of spiritual things and as the Apostle Paul saith walk even as men knowing one another after the flesh See 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3. I say thou mayst know a godly man from such clearly a godly man loves the Saints because they are his fellow-members of the body of Christ he is bone of his bone as it were receiving nourishment from the same root O how dear are the truly godly to each other 1 Cor. 12. 27. Joh. 15. 5. Branches springing forth from the same root and so are dear to each other Here thou mayst discover an Hypocritical people in this Land who would fain be accounted Saints and thou shalt see they never take notice of them nor shew any love to them especially if they be poor proud hearts cannot stoop except to some in places of honour Well now see that God hath set even the poorest Saint apart for himself Psal 4. 3. Nay God hath chosen the poor rich in faith and grace as James saith c. 2. v. 5. and it is most like thou art but as a barren wilderness that canst so easily pass by and take no notice of them Again the godly man loves the Saints because they have taken up the Cross of Christ because that now they are resolved together to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth though in a field of blood famine nakedness or whatever come they will never leave Christ see an example in the 11. of the Epistle to the Hebrews at large A godly man loves the Saints because he sees the beauty of holiness upon them because they are ready still to obey the Commands of God by this thou mayst know a godly man Sixthly Wouldst thou know a godly man then observe this a godly man he is the greatest enemy to sin that can be he strives to kill it O how he sees the ugliness of it and how he cryes to God for power against it the sight of it makes him to say as Paul Rom. 7. 24. His body seems to him a body of death by reason of the remains of sin well but his work is to kill it he gets on the Armour of God and fights it out till t is destroyed even the least appearance of it is tedious to him take notice of such a man and see how his heart is set against it both in himself and others he hath a perfect hatred against it as David Do I not hate them that hate thee yea with a perfect hatred see Psal 139. 20 21 22. Well what is the reason David hates them so it is only because they sin against his God 't is because they do wickedly that he hates them and not only in others but also in himself he hates every false way Psal 119. 104. By this you see a godly man is an enemy to sin he will kill and destroy it if possible as the Apostle saith Rom 6 6. He thinks it the greatest shame in the world to sin against his God and therefore who ever thou art assure thy self except thou finde in thy self this hatred of sin thou mayst conclude thou art not godly thou mayst conclude so because that every godly man is of a nature utterly opposite to sin the Spirit of God in him sets up a standard against it he cannot endure it because it is so contrary to his loving God and here thou mayst know him from one who makes no great matter of sin takes little notice of it neither in himself or others I say thou mayst know him clearly from such for he makes it his work to kill and