they are in will be a bad End God made known his Power and got himself a Name in the destruction of Pharaoh who was a bitter Enemy unto Israel Doct. 6. Those that are truely Conscientious love their Enemies and wish them no worse than if they were their Brethren This is the sixth and last Doctrine Paul said Men and Brethren The Reasons of this Doctrine are these 1. The Command is express and plain to love Enemies Mat. 5. 44. But I say to you love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you 2. Those who now have a good Conscience were once Enemies and yet they were loved though now the Children of God yet there was a time that they were the Children of wrath even as others Eph. 2. 3. Though now they have obtained Mercy yet there was a time wherein they had not obtained mercy They should compassionate Enemies since Divine Compassion was shewed to them even when they were Enemies 3. Enemies may be converted and become Friends to God and to his People Stephen had a Love to his Enemies when Stoning him to death and prayes for them his Prayer was heard and Saul that was consenting to his death was afterwards converted and became an Apostle and laboured more abundantly than all the Apostles to spread the Gospel of Christ Jesus 4. When Enemies are loved there is great Peace and Sweetness in such a temper this is a great Evidence of Sincerity and the Heart is emptied of that Malice Envy Revenge which are greatly torturing as well as very sinfull 5. To Love Enemies makes us very like unto our Heavenly Father for he is kind unto the unthankfull and to the evil he makes his Sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good and sends Rain upon the just and upon the unjust Mat. 5. 45. The Use that I shall make of this Doctrine shall be in these three particulars 1. If the Conscientious love their Enemies surely they will much more love their Brethren How much is Love called for in the Gospel what Motives are used to perswade to it 'T is the Mark upon the Sheep of Christ that they love one another and He that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4. 16. 2. Because so little love we may conclude there is but little Conscience (†) Pigri mortui miseri eritis si nihil a metis Amate sed quid amatis indete Amor Dei amor proximi Charitas dicitur amor mundi amor hujus saeculi Cupiditas dicitur cupiditas refraenetur charitas exicetur charitas bene oper antis dat ei spem bonae conscientiae Augustin Tom. 8. Enarrat in Psal 31. pag. mihi 188. 186. Love is grown cold and therefore surely Iniquity does abound and Conscience is grown dead 3. To revive Conscience is the way to Vnity and Peace 'T is sad to see the Members of Christ at variance among themselves While one cryes out I am of Paul and another I of Apollo and another I of Cephas 't is a sign they are all carnal and walk as men 1 Cor. 3. 3 4. 't is a sign there is little of Conscience Conscience if good is an Enemy to Strife and Division 't is against perverse Disputing and that Pride and Passion and Selfishness with which those Disputes are managed A good Conscience charges them in whom it is as they will approve themselves Subjects of the Prince of Peace and Children of the God of Peace and make it evident that they understand the Gospel of Peace that they take care to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Eph. 4. 3. The Conclusion THus have I finished all the Doctrines which I raised from the words of my Text. I hope I have not been all this while beating the Air or Plowing upon a Rock and losing my Labour My Hearts desire and Prayer to God for this whole Congregation is that they may be Awakened Converted Built up and Saved I have spoken many words to you Now I shall address my self unto Conscience within you and desire it to speak all my words over again Satan be dumb and tempt no more Or if he will not be dumb be you deaf to his Temptations Be silent O thou Flesh and perswade no more unto that which is unto the Souls Ruine But let Conscience be heard in what it speaks in the Name and from the Word of God O Conscience rouze up thy self understand thy Power know thy Office lift up thy Voyce and do thy Duty Tell this Congregation thou hast something to say to every Mothers Child of them and command them to hear thee or else threaten to Reproach them in Hell for ever for their refusing to hearken 1. Then speak unto the Ignorant Cause a dreadful sound in their Ears (l) Hic consentiamus mala facinora conscientia flagellari multos fortuna liberat poenâ metu neminem quia infixa nobis ejus rei aversatio est quam natura damnavit ideo nanquam fides latendi fit etiam latentibus quia coarguit illos conscientia ipsos sibi ostendit Seneca Epist 97. Tell them that their danger is greater because they do not apprehend their danger and that if they are Ignorant of God and Christ they have none of that Knowledge which is Life Eternal John 17. 3. Say How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and Fools hate Wisdom Turn you at my Reproof and use the means to obtain Understanding and especially ask it of God that he may pour out his Spirit unto you and make known his Words unto you Prov. 1. 22 23. Tell the Ignorant that the Devil is the Ruler of the darkness of this World and therefore those that are in darkness are under the Devils power bid them look unto Christ Jesus for Light and for Redemption that they may be rescued out of Satans hand and made free indeed 2. Speak O Conscience to the Profane tell them that 't is not more certain that God is Holy than that he is their Enemy they Declare themselves open Rebels against the great and glorious Majesty of Heaven and Earth And he has threatned to break such with a Rod of Iron and to dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Psal 2. 9. Tell the Notorious Drunkards and Swearers and Whore-mongers and Sabbath-breakers that their sins at last will find them out that wickedness will be found and felt to burn as the fire and that God must needs be infinitely too hard for all that harden themselves against him Oh call unto these Frantick self-destroying sinners to stop presently lest the very next step be into the bottomless Pit of woe out of which there can be no Recovery Roar in the Ears of those Ranting Roaring Fellows and let them not Eat or Drink or Sleep much less sin in quiet for thee tell them
the Spirit is Spirit There is not only a combat between Conscience and the Flesh in sincere Believers but there is a Combat in their very Hearts and Wills Lusting or Desiring is an act of the Will now because 't is said the Spirit Lusteth against the Flesh 't is a sign the Heart is weary of it The Will would fain have the Flesh and the Affections of it crucified Peace of Conscience cannot be where sin is liked and cherished When Satan does object against a Believer the remainders of corruption Conscience has this to plead and reply that these reliques of the old man are a very Body of Death which Believers sigh and groan to be delivered from Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death But here it may be asked how may this true peace of Conscience he attained I shall say something at present though afterward I shall have occasion to speak to this matter 1. Would you have peace of Conscience be humbled more deeply and grieve more heartily because of sin The Apostle does not only say be afflicted but mourn but weep let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heavinesse Jam. 4. 9. He uses several words importing the same thing to shew that 't is not a slight sorrow which sin calls for nor a little humiliation which will usher in peace Our Lord calls the mourners blessed for they shall be Comforted and the Prophet tells us that the high and lofty one that inhabits Eternity will dwell with them that are of an humble Spirit and to this end that they may be Comforted to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the Heart of the Contrite Ones Oh reflect upon your selves call to remembrance how much evil and how little good has been done by you all your days those evils which have been done how have they been aggravated that good that has been done how has it been lessened by your manner of doing it look so long on sin till you find your Hearts break and melt till you are utterly displeased with your selves This is the way to have a kind look and a good Word from God When Ephraim repented did smite upon his Thigh to shew that sin was matter both of his sorrow and indignation when he was ashamed and confounded in himself What does the the Lord say Is Ephraim My dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him and I will surely have Mercy on him saith the Lord Jer. 31. 19. 20. 2. If you would have true Peace of Conscience acquaint your selves better with the Gospel The Gospel is called the Gospel of Peace the Word of Reconciliation Christ is called the Prince of Peace and the Father The God of Love and Peace and Ministers are stiled the Ambassadors of Peace that Preach glad tidings of good things Though upon Mount Sinai there be nothing but blackness and Darkness and Tempest though the Law does bind the sinner under the Curse and cause the Heart to quake and tremble yet upon Mount Sion we may behold Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and that Blood of sprinking which speaketh better things than that of Abel Heb. 12. 24. In the Gospel Christ is set forth as a propitiation and through him God is ready to forgive and Plenteous in Mercy and Redemption Here 's good news indeed to see all things thus prepared towards an union and agreement and all that is required of transgressors is that they should expect peace no other way but by Christ Jesus and that they should consent to rebell no more Now when the Conscience observes that Christ is alone relyed on for reconciliation and nothing else is trusted in and that the Heart is grieved at its Rebellions and now is willing to yield it self to God Peace hereupon follows 3. Be not strangers unto that duty of self-Examination The reason why sinners are not troubled is because they do not know themselves nor the danger of that Estate in which they are and the reason why Saints have not Peace is because they are not so well acquainted with themselves as they should be they do not so well understand what an happy change the Lord has wrought both relative and real both in their condition and in their Heart and Spirits What delving and digging and turning up the bowels of the Earth to find out Silver and Gold And surely 't is worth our while to ransack and search our selves throughly if that we may find what is much more precious then Gold that perishes The Apostles command is express Examine your selves prove your own selves and the end wherefore they were thus to examine and prove was that they might know themselves whether they were in the Faith whether Christ were in them yea or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. And while you are thus upon trial of your selves since a mistake may undo you for ever cry that the Lord who knowes you would teach you to know your selves and that you may think of your selves as he does 4. Plead the Promises of strengthning Grace For the more strong you are in Grace the more evident the Truth of it will be The Lord has promised you shall grow up as Calves of the stall and that you shall thrive as Willowes by the water-courses The Righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree and grow like a Caedar in Lebanon those that are Planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God Psal 92. 12 13. and all this to shew that the Lord is upright and there is no Vnrighteousness in him v. 15. So that these Promises may with confidence be pleaded and God will not be backward to fulfil them The more Grace you have the more 't will be exercised and the more 't is exercised the more plainly you will be able to discern it and consequently have the greater Peace and Comfort in it Those that have little Grace and are full of doubts should strive after so much Grace as to be past doubt 5. Love the Commands of God and do them If once your Hearts are pleased with the Laws of God 't is a sign that you are indeed in Covenant and that the Lord has put his Laws in your minds and writen them in your Hearts and has been Merciful to your Vnrighteousness Hearken to the Psalmist Great Peace have they that Love thy Law Psal 119. 165. Love of the Law will make us carefull to keep it and this is the way to have the Lord manifest himself to us as he does not manifest himself to the World Joh 14. 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that Loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will Love him and will manifest my self to him and v. 23. If a man Love me he
sees God to be another kind of Foe and Friend than heretofore he thought him and Christ to be a better Lord and Master than heretofore he did imagine He comes to God and says Lord be Merciful be my Father and let the Lord Jesus become a Saviour to me and write down what Articles thou pleasest I will subscribe them onely help me to do it with my very Heart VVhen he hears that Command Cast away every Transgression he presently crys out Lord let not any Iniquity have the dominion over me VVhen he hears that all the Precepts of the Lord are to be kept diligently he crys out Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes VVhen he hears of the Necessity of Conversion he crys out Turn thou me O Lord and I shall be turned VVhen he hears what 't will cost to be Christ's Disciple and how he must deny himself and take up his Cross he cryes out Oh let me never be Offended but count all things loss that I may win Christ The Chimes do not more presently follow the Clock than the truly humbled Soul does upon its understanding the will of God desire to submit unto it 'T is willing to do any thing to be any thing to bear any thing to forbear any thing so the favour of God and an Interest in the Lord Jesus may be Obtained Thus you see when Conscience is troubled after a right manner In the next place I am to direct How troubled and afflicted Consciences are to be Comforted And before I begin I have need to cry out The Lord give me the Tongue of the Learned that I may know how to speak a word in Season to him that is weary Isa 50. 4. O you Afflicted Souls that are tossed in a Tempest your Affliction is of all the deepest the Tempest that you are in does beat most hard upon you You have not to deal with an Arm of Flesh nor onely with the Powers of Darkness but the Lord himself has bruised you Now for your Relief I am to bring forth the sweetest Comforts of the Gospel I am to Preach unto you the unsearchable Riches of Christ I am to tell you of Love that has Height and Length and Depth and Breadth and passes Knowledge I am to display the Mercy of God which is great towards humbled sinners as the Heaven is high above the Earth But more particularly I would lay these following things before you 1. This trouble of Conscience that you are under is really the work of the Spirit the Comforter Even under Conviction and while in distress of Soul you are really in a Comforters hand There is a great deal of difference between the wounds of an Enemy and the lancings of a Chirurgeon the latter are the better born because in order unto a perfect Cure and Ease and Health Three things are here to be Observed 1. These Convictions of the Spirit are a great mercy The Children of Men would all of them lye still and at last die in their wickedness if the Spirit did not awaken some of them 'T is a kindness to be told of our danger while 't is possible to get out of it You groan and complain because of your Guilt you fear the wrath of God and desire his loving kindness I may say truly you are highly favoured for how many round about you fearlesly provoke the dreadful God to his Face and turn to their wicked course as the horse rusheth into the Battel Now sin is a burthen your condition is much better than when you made light of it and saw no harm like to follow upon it 'T is good for us to see the avenger of blood pursuing us as long as the City of Refuge is open to receive and shelter us from that avenger 2. These convictions are in order unto Consolation Comfort is that which is proper and suitable to the Mourners and rest unto the weary and heavy laden To go by Hell gates to Heaven is not to go at all out of the way The Lord does bring Souls within the Suburbs of Hell sometimes that they may be the more afraid of sin all their dayes that they may value peace of Conscience at an higher rate and adore the Grace of God in catching them as fire brands out of the burning Jonah cryed unto the Lord out of the Belly of Hell and when his Soul fainted within him Chap. 2. 3 7. And surely his being heard and helped did the more affect him Oh do not think much to Sow in Tears as long as the promise is you shall Reap in Joy Psal 126. 5. 3. It may marvellously support you under your trouble that you do Judge and Condemn your selves The Apostle expresly says that such shall not be Judged that is condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11. 31. They that accuse themselves invalidate Satans accusations against them and they that condemn themselves go the way to prevent Gods condemning them He will not throw into Hell those who are continually sentencing themselves thither and see no possibility of Help but in Rich and Free Grace and who as they Judge themselves for past sins are desirous also for the future to be kept from Offending 2. For the Relief of a troubled Conscience take Notice of the love of God towards the World in sending Christ into it God so loved the World that he gave his onely Begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish John 3. 16. See also 1 John 4. 10. Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins This Love of God towards the World is Matter of great Encouragement if it be rightly improved It shews how great a kindness God has for Mankind He has contrived a way for their Redemption and Salvation he has provided a Mediator for them which he did not do for the Angels that fell from him Heb. 2. 16. He took not on him the Nature of Angels or he took not hold on the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he took on him the Seed of Abraham Whatever Christ did for Mans Salvation 't was the will of God he should do it The whole work of Redemption is called a doing of the will of God Heb. 10. 7. Sacrifices and Offerings being insufficient to take away sin Then said I lo I come in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God Nay the Father is said to Love Christ upon this Account partly because he laid down his Life to save Men from Eternal Death John 10. 17. Because I lay down my Life therefore doth my Father Love me Now you know Christ's Life was given that it might be a Ransom for many All this shews the good will of God towards Man and how ready he is that Man should be brought near unto him and enjoy him and be eternally happy in that enjoyment This Amor Benevolentiae
voluntatis maxima consolatio rerum incommodarum Cicero under the greatest calamities that befell them their sleep was sweet and so were their enjoyments nay Adversity it self was sweetned when Conscience gave them its approbation Tully speaks excellently (i) Illud vero est hominis magni sapientis libidinem odium invidiam metum cupiditatesque omnes amovere maximéque aestimare conscientiam mentis suae quam ab Diis immortalibus accepimus quae à nobis divelli non potest Quae si optimorum consiliorum atque factorum testis inomni vit â nobis erit sine ullo metu summâ cum honestate vivemus Cicer. Orat. pro A. Cluentio That is the part of one that would be Great and Wise to put away Lust and Hatred and Envy and Fear and all carnal Affections and most of all to mind his Conscience This we have received from God this cannot be separated from us And if this be a witnesse to us that we follow and practise the best Counsel our Life will be without Fear and with the greatest Honesty You see what contentment and peace did ensue when the Heathens made it their care not to go contrary to the light in their own minds And though I dare not affirm because Conscience did excuse them that God did justifie them for there is no way of being justified before God that is revealed to us but by Faith in our Lord Jesus yet 't is not at all disagreeable to Truth to say that the satisfaction which they had was some reward of their well-doing and a very great encouragement thereunto Thus it appears by the light of Nature that there is a Conscience in Man 2. This Truth is more fully evident by Scripture This Book of Scripture has no Errour in it 't is given by inspiration of God who as he cannot be deceived himself so he cannot lye unto others Titus 1. 2. Now if you hearken to the Scripture that there is a Conscience may be proved many wayes 1. Conscience is often expresly spoken of The Lord who made Man and who perfectly knowes what is in Man tells us of such a thing as Conscience Not onely in the Text is Conscience mentioned but in divers other places Heb. 9. 9. Which was a figure speaking of the Tabernacle for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins which could not make him that did the Service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience The Conscience of Man could not be purified or purged by the Legal Sacrifices but all these were typical of that Sacrifice which Christ offered up of himself unto God which alone can purge the Conscience from dead Works Heb. 9. 14. So also 2 Cor. 4. 2. We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftyness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God We are to speak unto Conscience to commend our selves unto Conscience how could this be were there not a Conscience 2. That work of the Spirit called Conviction proves a Conscience When the Spirit comes to work upon any he first convinces them of Sin and afterwards of Righteousness Joh. 16. 8. he first shewes by what they are fallen and then how they may be raised and recovered But Conscience is that which is the Subject of this Conviction When Christ said unto the Scribes and Pharisees who brought an Adulteress before him He that is without Sin among you let him first cast a Stone at her 't is said when they heard it being convicted by their own Conscience (k) Apparet hic quanta vis est malae Conscientiae Quum impii isti hypocritae Christum suis cavillis eludere in animo haberent simul tamen ac eorum conscientias unâ voce pungit perculsi diffugiunt hoc malleo frangenda est hypocritarum superbia Calv. in Johan they went out one by one beginning at the eldest even unto the last Joh. 8. 7 9. When the Law came with power upon the Apostle and 't was interpreted and the extent of it shewed by the Spirit Sin revived and he died Rom. 7. 9. that is his Conscience was awakened to take notice of Sin and he perceived that he was a dead condemned man by Law and that there was no way to be delivered without a Mediator In conviction the Conscience is struck at there is the alarum heard which causes such Terrour and Confusion and if there were no Conscience there could be no Conviction 3. Sinning against Conscience hightens transgerssion but this supposes a Conscience to be sinned against Our Lord sayes plainly He that knowes his Masters will and goes against the Light of his Conscience prepares not himself nor does according to the will of his Lord he shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12. 47. When sinners do not like to retain God in their knowledge when they are troubled because Conscience puts them in mind that the Lord observes them when they imprison as it were the Truth in Unrighteousness and stifle the Light that stirs in them because they love the works of Darkness this is to sin with an high hand and will add much both unto Guilt and Punishment 4. Several Duties which are injoyned and urged in Scripture suppose a Conscience in us because Conscience is a Principal agent in the performance of them We are commanded to search and try our wayes that we may turn unto the Lord our God Lam. 3. 40. but 't is the work of Conscience thus to call us to an account and to examine how our Actions and that Rule which is given us have agreed together VVe are commanded to try and prove our selves whether we be in the Faith whether Christ be in us yea or no 2 Cor 13. 5. Now 't is Conscience which takes notice of the Characters of true and unfeigned Faith which the holy Ghost has given 't is Conscience also which applies these Characters and then drawes the conclusion either that we are not believers if our Faith be dead and we onely name the name of Christ but have no will to depart from iniquity or that we are Believers if our Faith purifie our hearts if it work by love if it overcome the world so that all things are counted loss that we may win Christ who is truly precious Finally we are commanded to judge our selves that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. But this judging is an act of Conscience And truly it Judges under God and by his Authority and therefore its Judgement is the more to be minded 5. All men in Scripture are divided into good and bad and in both there is a Conscience The Apostle tells us that in the defiled and unbelieving there is a Conscience though a polluted one Tit. 1. 15. and though for a while it may seem to be asleep though it may
break the Rock so does the Word the the Heart though never so hard and senseless 't is compared also to fire because like fire it does both give light and refine and purifie the Conscience Yeare Clean sayes Christ but how through the word that I have spoken unto you John 15 3. Let the Word of Christ therefore dwell in you richly 't will be an Excellent and effectual Antidote against sin and temptation when your Hearts stand in awe of the Word of God as David's did how will it preserve you from defilement 2. Affliction is like a Furnace to refine That Conscience may be pure Affliction is to be improved The Rod of Affliction though it seem to be dry and withered yet like Aaron's 't will bud and blossom and bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness unto them that are Exercised thereby And before the Apostle informs us that 't is God's design in Afflicting to refine and purifie v. 9 10. We have had Fathers of our Flesh who Corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live For they verily for a few days chastened 〈◊〉 after their own pleasure but He for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness The smart of Affliction does help very much to awaken Conscience and to discover the evil and danger of sin and then sin is found to be ten thousand times more bitter when we reflect upon it than ever was fansied to be sweet in the time of Temptation We may indeed with submission pray against Affliction and intreat that gentler ways may be used to sanctifie us and we may take the more comfort and our sincerity will be the more Evident when milder Methods are effectual One of our English Poets speaks Excellently to this purpose (*) Herbert Discipline pag. 173 174. Throw away thy Rod Throw away thy Wrath. O my God Take the gentle path For my hearts desire Vnto thine is bent I aspire To a full consent Not a word or look I affect to own But thy Book And thy Book alone Though I fail I weep Though I halt in pace Yet I creep To the Throne of Grace Then let wrath remove Love will do the deed For with Love Stony hearts will bleed Love is swift of foot Love's a Man of War And can shoot And can hit from far Who can scape his bow That which wrought on thee Brought thee low Needs must work on me Throw away thy Rod Though Man frailties hath Thou art God Throw away thy Wrath. But if the Father of Spirits sees it meet and needful to use the Discipline of the Rod it concerns us to hear the Voice of it and understand the meaning and this it always speaks and that very plainly that our Consciences and indeed all within us should be more clean and Holy 3. The Blood of Christ purges the Conscience from dead works This is the Fountain which in the Gospel is set open for Sâ—n and for Uncleanness 'T is He who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 5. So Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit Offered up himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Though our Lord aimed at our Justification and the Remission of sin when he shed his Blood and Sacrificed himself for us yet he had our sanctification and cleansing also in his eye Upon this Account the Apostle Peter tells us That he bear our sins in his own Body on the Tree that we being dead unto sins might live unto Righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 24. And we read Eph. 5. 25 26 27. that Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might Sanctifie and cleanse it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blemish Apply this Blood unto your selves be perswaded that it has a sanctifying vertue and pray for purity as that which is a great part of Christ's purchase as well as your own Perfection 4. If you would have Conscience pure you must not resist but yield unto the Spirit of Christ 'T is his Work not onely to shew sin but to slay it he convinces of sin and also Mortifies the deeds of the Body Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do Mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live The Power of sin is great and this Power is strengthned by the Principalities and Powers of Darkness who do endeavour to keep up sins Dominion So that if the Spirit of the Lord did not shew the exceeding greatness of his Power our Hearts and Consciences would still remain defiled we should never have our Fruit unto Holiness nor the end everlasting Life I have done with that sixth particular The goodness of Conscience lies in the purity of it 7. The goodness of Conscience lies in the calmness and peace of it What the Apostle speaks concerning the wisdom which is from above That 't is first pure and then peaceable may be applied unto a good Conscience first 't is pure then peacable there may indeed be purity without peace but there cannot be true peace without purity There is a false peace which is too commonly found in the ungodly and the Hypocrite this peace sin does not disturb but increase and by this peace the strong man armed does keep possession But true peace is peculiar unto them that are sanctified and when once they have attained unto it they are brought as it were within the Suburbs of Heaven and see the dawning of that Light which is everlasting That you may the better discern this true peace of Conscience I shall set it forth in these particulars 1. True peace of Conscience is founded upon the Blood of God So Christs Blood is called for as he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh so he is expresly affirmed to be over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. There could be no remission of sin without shedding of blood and no other blood would serve the turn the blood of Bulls and goats would not take away sin Heb. 10. 4. Nay supposing that Mans blood had been shed for us it would not have been expiatory Shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my Soul Mic. 6. 7. Nothing but what satisfies the justice of God will satisfie and pacifie the Conscience and bring it to a well-grounded tranquillity but 't is the blood of Christ alone that satisfies divine justice Conscience therefore can have no true rest till that blood be applied Luthers Conscience
of this Judge at that day be Every mouth shall be stopt and every sinner speechlesse Oh then the Evil of sin will be made Manifest and how Righteous 't is for the Lord to Sentence the Wicked unto Everlasting Fire Whom He Condemns every one will Condemn and they shall not choose but Condemn themselves 4. After the Judge has past Sentence he will be inexorable no Cryes no Tears will prevail with him to Repeal it Those that then are Condemned can never be Justified can never be saved Oh what is that Misery which is Extream as to the Measure and as to the Duration of it Everlasting 5. Thou in Particular must give Account of thy self unto this Judge All must appear before the Judgement seat of Christ and that All includes thee Every one of us must give account of himself to God Rom. 14. 12. And Oh secure sinner if all must be judged according to their Works begin now to tremble that thy works have been all so bad what kind of Sentence is likely to be past upon thee Is thy Worldliness and Uncleanness and neglect of God and Christ and Duty and thy stupidness of Conscience notwithstanding all this likely to be rewarded with Heaven No no that which is thy due and thy due shall be given thee is everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power 10. Take some encouragement that 't is not too late to awake as yet though Conscience hitherto has slept securely Thy Glasse is not yet run thy Sun is not yet set thy Day is not yet ended there may be possibly an Inch of thy Span of time remaining Oh sleep no longer but up and be doing thy main business When the ship was drowning the Marriners come to Jonah with a just rebuke What meanest thou O sleeper Jon. 1. 6. When Souls are sinking and when sinners are damning there is much more reason to say to Conscience what meanest Oh Sleeper Awake before it be quite too late Call upon God to awaken you throughly he can make the sleepy nay the dead to hear his voice Joh. 5. 25. Verily verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live So much be spoken and Lord make what has been spoken Effectual to awaken secure Consciences In the second place I am to shew how wounded and awakened Consciences may be Cured and Comforted And here it will be needfull first to shew you some mistakes about trouble of Conscience which are very common Secondly to discover when Conscience is troubled after a right manner Thirdly how Comfort is to be applied in that trouble For the first of these namely the mistakes about trouble of Conscience they are these following 1. That is not right trouble of Conscience which is onely the product of and lasts no longer than Affliction When Pharoah was under the smart of the Rod he cryed out I have sinned but this was not real trouble for sin for as soon as ever the Rod is taken off Pharoah is as resolved to sin as ever The mettal while the Fire burns is Liquid and you may cast it into any form but take away the Fire and it becomes hard as ever Such kind of mettall are many hearts while in the Furnace of Affliction how melted and tender do they seem but when taken out of that Furnace then they quickly cool and become perhaps more obdurate than before Who would have thought though so indeed it was that the Israelites who when God slew them did seek him and returned and enquired early after him and remembred that he was their Redeemer and their Rock should all this while onely flatter him with their Lips and that their Hearts should not be right with him nor stedfast in his Covenant 2. That is not right trouble of Conscience which is onely sorrow after the world (*) Tristitia mundi est quum propter terrenas afflictiones animos despondent luctu opprimuntur tristitia autem secundum Deum quae Deum respicit dum unicam miseriam ducunt excidisse à Dei gratiâ ac timore judicii ejus perculsi peccata sua lugent Calvin this kind of sorrow is so far from having a promise of life made to it that the Apostle affirms it works death 2 Cor. 7. 10. There is a great sorrow in thy Heart and it appears in thy very looks but what is the cause of it If hard times trouble thee but an hard Heart is no affliction if crosses and losses in the World perplex thee but the losse of thy Soul is not at all feared neither is there any care taken to prevent it if thy poverty in the World do grieve thee but thou dost not sorrow at all because destitute of the true Riches how canst thou call any of this a right trouble The Israelites did weep and Howl but the cause was they wanted Corn and Wine and so they had but these things in Plenty they could be well contented to live without God Hos 7. 13 14. Every pensive sinner is not penitent nor fit to be comforted their very pensiveness is a very great sin as long as sin is not but only worldly crosses the cause of it 3. That is not right trouble of Conscience where there is onely a slavish fear of punishment but love to sin does still remain in strength Where there is slavish fear and no more there is an hatred of God and a secret wish to get from under his Power the slave you know hates his Master and wishes he might be at liberty and never see or serve him more there is also an hatred of the Commands of God and a repining and murmuring at the strictness of them Sin is dear as ever a grief there is because of those threats which terrifie and hinder the free commission of it If such a Soul might have its wish It should not be Oh that I might be turned to God and that my wayes were directed to keep his Statutes but it should be Oh that I might have liberty to do as I list and that there were no such thing as the Word and Will of God to be observed where such a Spirit is which the Heart-searching God perfectly understands abstaining from the outward act of sin signifies not much The Merchant in a Storm cannot be said to hate his goods because he flings them overboard he is sorry because driven to such a strait and when he comes ashore wishes as much for his goods as ever 4. That is not right trouble of Conscience which Sinners being impatient under do fly for Comfort to the Creatures If thou art indeed wounded the same hand that gave the wound must bind it up I wound and I heal says God Deut. 32. 39. If sensual delights if Sports and Pastimes if carnal Company if immersing thy self in worldly business can divert
which he thought so good had such bad success and he found himself vanquished by Antonius he Repented of his Vertue and cryed out O Vertue I Served thee as a real thing but thou art onely an empty Name c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Te colui Virtus ut rem ast tu nomen it ane â—s But be you more fixed and better settled and whatever you lose keep a good Conscience And that you may do thus follow these Directions 1. Vigorously maintain the Combat against Corruption Onely sin can harm the Conscience and therefore strive against it Abstain from Fleshly Lusts for these War against your Souls 1 Pet. 2. 11. Have a special Eye to in dwelling sin for that 's a worse Enemy by far than Satan set upon the work of Mortification in good earnest hide the Word in your hearts that it may Antidote you against sin Derive Vertue from Christ Crucified to Crucifie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts of it and call in the aid of the Spirit against the deeds of the Body Conscience will be kept in greater purity and Peace the weaker sin is and the more it is an underling 2. Sit loose from the World If Galeacius Caracciolus had loved his Honour and great Estate in Italy he would not have kept his Conscience undefiled from Rome's pollutions The Apostle Paul whose Conscience was good professes that he Gloried in the Cross of Jesus Christ by whom the World was Crucified to him and he unto the World Gal. 6. 14. He looked upon the VVorld as a grand Imposter he saw no Form nor Comeliness in it that he should desire it nay he perceived how sin had brought a Curse upon it no wonder if he slighted it You cannot Serve God and Mammon You must cast the VVorld out of your Affections presently and consent to let it go out of your Possession too when called to part withit if you would keep a good Conscience 3. Study the Vanity of Men and be not afraid of them The fear of Man bringeth a Snare says Solomon Fear of the Papists made Spira wound his Conscience and brought him into a fearful Case Cease ye therefore from Man whose breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2. ult Be not afraid of the terror of your adversaries neither be troubled but Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts in your hearts let him be your fear and let him be your dread if you would secure your Consciences 4. Pray much to be upheld Commit the keeping of your Souls unto God in well doing for he is Faithful Beg that he would never leave you nor forsake you but keep you by his Mighty Power unto Salvation It is not in vain to seek unto him for he is of Power to establish you Rom. 16. 25. He is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the Presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy Jude 24. 5. Hold fast Faith that you may keep a good Conscience firmly believe that Life and Immortality which is brought to light by the Gospel and then by patient continuance in well doing you will seek for it The Lord grant unto you the Spirit of wisdom and Revelation the eyes of your Understanding being enlightned that you may more thorowly and certainly know what is the hope of your Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of that Inheritance which is above this will be a strong inducement to keep Conscience and heart and Conversation and all clean that you may grow more and more meet for that Inheritance You see the way to keep a good Conscience which was the fourth word of Advice 5. You that have a good Conscience be not Acted onely by Conscience but let Love d constrain you also to Obedience 'T is said of Titus That he accepted the Exhortation but was more forward of his own accord 2 Cor. 8. 17. Heed your Consciences telling you of your Duty but let your hearts be forward b Qui legem dat amantibâ—s Major lex a mor est sibi Boetius of their own accord to perform your Duty The high mettal'd courser does not stand in need of whip or spur loosen the reins he will run swiftly because he does delight in running Oh let your hearts be enlarged by love to the Lord and delight in your duty and then you will run the wayes of his Commands and so running you will at length obtain the prize Thus have I handled at large the second Doctrine To have a good Conscience should be every one 's greatest care This is the point I principally intended to prosecute I shall be very brief in those which do remain Doct. 3. The third Doctrine is this A good Conscience will make men set themselves as before God continually I have lived says the Apostle in good Conscience before God Hark unto David Psal 119. 168. All my wayes are before thee and Psal 16. 8. I have the Lord alwayes before me Job speaks after the same manner chap. 31. 4. Doth not God see my wayes and count all my steps And Elijah speaking of the Lord of hosts adds before whom I stand 1 King 18. 15. These men had a great sense of God upon their Spirits so should we and a good Conscience will still be putting us in mind in whose presence we continually are In the handling of this Doctrine I shall first prove that we are alwaies before God Secondly how we are to look upon God when we set our selves before him Thirdly what it is thus to set our selves before God Fourthly why a good Conscience will make us to do thus And fifthly Apply In the first place I am to prove that we are alwaies before God There are several degrees of the presence of God the highest degree of all is his presence with Christs humane Nature a second degree is his presence with the Angels and triumphant Saints in his Kingdom and Glory by whom he is seen face to face a third degree is his presence vouchsafed unto his Saints Militant on Earth whereby they are quickned strengthned and abundantly incouraged But besides all this there is a general presence of God whereby he fills both Heaven and Earth so that nothing can be hid from him Jer. 23. 24. Can any bide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Three things are here to be remarked 1. God is so every where present as that he perfectly knows what is in us and done by us He does possesse our very Reins searches our very hearts all the hidden things of darkness will one day be brought to light and the Counsels of mens hearts be made manifest 1 Cor. 4. 5. Though good works are done never so secretly God sees and will reward them openly though wicked works are done never so closely he sees and they shall be openly punished 2. God is so
that there is but an hairs breadth between them and Death between them and Hell and inform them that 't is possible even for the most Profane to be saved if they come and submit to the Lord Jesus and break off their sins by Righteousness 3. O Conscience speak unto the Civilized sinners that trust in their own Righteousness Tell them that the Prophet counted his Righteousnesses as filthy Rags Isa 64. 6. And ask them how they dare to trust in theirs Convince them that 't is not enough to escape the more scandalous wickednesses for the Pharisee was not an Extortioner nor Vnjust nor an Adulterer he Fasted and Prayed and gave Tithes of all that he Possessed and yet all this could not Justifie him Tell them that they are not so whole but they need Christ the Physitian and must needs die without him as well as others Tell them that their very Hearts must be renewed and taken off from sin and the Creature and turned unto God else they must of Necessity perish 4. Speak O Conscience unto Hypocritical Professors tell them that that which is highly esteemed among Men is abomination many times in the sight of God Say to them in the words of the Apostle and be sure to speak home Gal. 6. 7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a Man Soweth that shall he also Reap He that soweth unto the Flesh shall of the Flesh Reap Corruption Tell them that their Secret sins their secret Intemperance and Uncleanness and Dishonest dealing is set in the Light of Gods Countenance and though they may shut their own Eyes and not see God yet they cannot shut Gods Eyes nor hinder him from seeing them Tell them that Hypocrisie is most hateful and that as Hell is prepared for the Devil and his Angels so in a special manner for the Hypocrite and the Unbeliever 5. O Conscience speak unto the Rich in this world and tell them how hard 't is for them to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and as long as they love the World and desire it more than Communion with God 't is utterly impossible Bid them to think of the Rich Man in the Gospel that went from a great Estate and from a full Table and a brave House and sumptuous Fare unto a place of Torment Put them in mind that the Love of Money is the root of all evil and that wealth has proved unto Millions onely like a weight to sink them into Destruction and perdition Bid them mind a Treasure in Heaven which is infinitely better than Gold and Silver which are Corruptible 6. Speak O Conscience to the Poor and tell them 't will be sad for them to be miserable in both Worlds 't will be sad to receive evil things here and ten thousand times worse hereafter Bid them take heed of Lying and Stealing and trusting in any sinful course for a Livelihood but perswade them to seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness that all other things which are needful may be added to them Mat. 6. 33. Charge them to be Poor in Spirit to be contented with their Condition without murmuring against God or envying at those who have more than themselves and above all things to endeovour that they may be rich towards God Rich in Faith and then they will be Heirs of the Kingdom which the Lord has promised to them that Love him James 2. 5. 7. O Conscience speak unto Traders of all sorts tell them that false Weights and Measures and Balances are an abomination in the sight of God When they are about to Cheat give them a check and assure them that an Estate gotten by fraud is attended with a Curse Be with them in their Shops and at the Exchange observe how they Buy and Sell and examine all their gains bid them to mete the same measure unto others that they would have mete unto themselves and to do as they would be done unto Mat. 7. 12. Tell them that 't is the height of Madness to venture the losing of their Souls for a pound or for a shilling or for Six-pence unjustly gained since Christ who knew the value of Souls says that a Soul is more worth than the World and all the Wealth of it put together 8. Speak O Conscience unto Back-sliders tell them that it had been better for them never to have known the way of Truth and Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them 2 Pet. 2. 21. Call them Dogs for returning to their Vomit and Swine for wallowing again in their former Mire Tell them that where there was but one unclean Spirit before they are likely to be possessed with seven now and the latter end will be worse with them than the beginning 9. O Conscience speak unto them that are truly humbled for sin and are willing to have Christ upon any terms and tell them that God is rich in Mercy ready to forgive freely the Debt of many thousand Talents These are the Sons of Peace and therefore let thy Peace and thy Lords Peace come and abide upon them (m) Futurae beatudinis non est certius testimonium quam bona conscientia mundus enim volubilitate circumvoletur ploret ridea pereat transeat nunquam conscientia mercessit Bernard lib. de Conscen c. 4. Those that mourn for their Iniquities and hate every false way and are desirous to be washed and Sanctified by the Spirit of Christ as well as Justified and reconciled by his Blood oh be sure to comfort them tell them that the Lord will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax untill he send forth Judgment unto Victory Mat. 12. 20. Bid them not to be cast down not to be disquieted but to hope in the Lord and praise him who is so nigh to them that are of broken Heart and saveth such as be of a contrite Spirit 10. Lastly O Conscience speak one word to the Preacher himself and speak effectually Thou that Teachest others be sure to Teach and Learn thy self Practice not the sins thou cryest out against neglect not the Duties thou urgest others to perform Be not like those who dig in Mines and enrich others but are poor themselves Or like that Statue in Greece which shewed the way to Thebes and Athens but it self stirred not Oh take heed lest after thou hast Preached Christ and Conscience unto others thou thy self be found a cast-away FINIS A Poem out of Mr. George Herbert Called Longing pag. 142 143 144 145. WIth sick and Famisht Eyes With doubling Knees and weary Bones To thee my cries To thee my groans To thee my sighs my Tears ascend No end My Throat my Soul is hoarse My heart is wither'd like a ground Which thou dost curse My thoughts turn round And make me giddy Lord I fall Yet call From thee all pity flows Mothers are kind because thou art And dost dispose To them apart Their Infants them and they suck thee More free Bowels of pity hear Lord of my Soul love of my mind Bow down thine ear Let not the wind Scatter my words and in the same Thy Name Look on my sorrows round Mark well my Furnace O what flames What heats abound What griefs what shames Consider Lord Lord bow thine ear And hear Lord Jesu thou didst bow Thy dying head upon the Tree O be not now More dead to me Lord hear Shall he that made the ear Not hear Behold thy dust doth stir It moves it creeps it aims at thee Wilt thou deferr To succour me Thy pile of dust wherein each crumb Says Come To thee help appertains Hast thou left all things to their course And laid the reins Upon the horse Is all lockt hath a sinners plea No key Indeed the World 's thy book Where all things have their leaf assign'd Yet a meek look Hath interlin'd Thy board is full yet humble guests Find nests Thou tarriest while I die And fall to nothing thou dost reign And rule on high While I remain In bitter grief yet I am I stil'd Thy child Lord didst thou leave thy throne Not to relieve how can it be That thou art grown Thus hard to me Were sin alive good cause there were To bear But now both sin is dead And all thy promises live and bide That wants his head These speak and chide And in thy bosome pour my tears As theirs Lord JESU heal my heart Which hath been broken now so long That ev'ry part Hath got a tongue Thy beggers grow rid them away To day My love my sweetness hear By these thy feet at which my heart Lies all the year Pluck out thy dart And heal my troubled brest which cries Which dyes