God for conscience is onely subject to his power he onely hath power over conscience 3. Because conscience is Gods book Now no creature can adde to Gods book or diminish from it Ye may remember that dreadfull anathema at the end of Gods book Rev. 22.18 19. If any man shall adde to this book God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this book And if any man shall diminish from this book God shall take away his part out of the book of life Now conscience is also Gods book wherein his law is written Nay conscience is called Gods law For it is said Rom. 2.14 that when the Gentiles which have not the law do the things conteined in the law they having not the law are a law unto themselves that is Their conscience is Gods law unto them Like as the Bible conteineth Gods law for us Christians so did their consciences contein the law of God to them yea to us Christians much rather For we are not to let Gods law be written onely in our Bibles but we must get it written in our consciences our consciences are to be Gods books wherein his laws are to be written And therefore if it be a sinne to adde a new law in the materiall book to bind men then it must needs be a sinne for any creature to put a new law into conscience which is the spirituall book of God It is God onely who can write laws in this book his book is above all the laws in the world and none but God can put in and put out and therefore none but he can bind conscience I speak still of this absolute supreme bond of conscience For Magistrates may bind relatively but not as they are their laws but by the law of God before made Thus ye see the necessity of this truth That Gods law is the absolute and supreme bond of conscience Vses Vse 1 1. This serveth to direct Ministers how to convince the consciences of their people If Ministers desire to work upon their hearers they must speak to the conscience they must shew them Gods authority that it is Gods will and Gods command Tell conscience never so much that we should do thus or thus upon other grounds and inducements it starteth not at that except it be convinced by the word of God that it is Gods will the commandment of the great God of heaven the God of the spirits of all flesh who will look for our obedience This maketh conscience to startle this affecteth it and bindeth it St Paul when he said that he approved himself and his preaching to mens consciences 2. Cor. 4.2 what followeth If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish c. As if he had said This maketh all the world to startle except they be reprobates and men delivered over to Satan It is easie to see what ministerie affecteth most and doeth the most good in the hearts of the people namely that which bringeth the clearest voice of Gods Spirit calling to obedience and binding the conscience They can heare with ease and great pleasure the sermons of those whose doctrines are stuffed with humane discourses Learning and policie never pierce conscience Nay let carnall preachers preach never so much against peoples sinnes they can make a sport of it though they heare their sinnes with humane learning declaimed against When the preacher doth not clearly preach the Lords voice though he rip up sinne yet if it be not in the demonstration of the Spirit of God and shewing his clear authority the heart will not be affected Conscience knoweth when it is bound and when it is but dallied and jested with And therefore if Ministers desire to have their ministerie work upon the hearts of their people they must shew them Gods authority and confirm it by his word and let them see that it is the commandment of the Lord that which will one day judge them Let him know 1. Cor. 14.37 saith Paul that the things that I write are the commandments of the Lord. It is the Lord of heaven and earth that biddeth thee yield and commandeth thee to give over thy base lusts It is he in whose hands thy breath is thou hadst best be obedient I tell thee thy conscience observeth it and if thou wilt not obey it will rore like the roring of the sea one day against thee and sting thee like a scorpion The things that thou hearest know thou that they are the commandments of God and if thou disobey thou dost disobey not men but God Vse 2 2. Is it so that the word of God onely is the supreme bond of conscience Then this teacheth us to have an eye to Gods word in that which we do if we would satisfie conscience I say have an eye to Gods word not onely to do that which it may be is in Gods word conscience counteth that to be nothing but to have an eye to Gods word Conscience will not be satisfied with any obedience that we do if we have not an eye to Gods word Whatever we have an eye to besides conscience knoweth it is nothing if in all we have not an eye to the commandment of God Though we do obey it conscience looketh upon it as if we did not obey it It is onely Gods commandment and authority that bindeth conscience and therefore nothing satisfieth conscience unlesse we have an eye unto that If we do not aim at Gods will in doing what we do conscience counteth our obedience as no obedience at all As for example Ye that are husbands ye love your wives but is it because God commandeth it It may be ye love them because they love you or because your affections are to them Alas this is nothing Pagans and reprobates can do so But do ye aim at the doing of Gods will who commandeth you O say you The Lord doth command me and I do it What of that Do ye look at his commandment when ye do it If not be humbled and know ye must get grace to do so or ye are not obedient to God neither will conscience set it down for obedience Ye that are servants ye serve your masters but do ye aim at Gods will thus O the Lord hath commanded me to be faithfull and painfull in my service Doth your soul look to this It may be ye serve them because they are kind and because they pay you your wages and the like This is nothing to conscience conscience looketh at the commandment of God and if your souls do not aim at the commandment of God it wil not satisfie conscience Ye that are neighbours it may be ye love one another and be friends one with another but doth your soul look at Gods commandment is it because God hath commanded us to love one another People seldome aim at God in these cases They are friends with their neighbours why Their neighbours are friends with them But they
light but onely the light of nature some have besides the light of â—s word which sheweth that which â—re sheweth and much more clearly â—eacheth many things more which â—e cannot teach And hence the â—cience of the illightned condemâ—â— for such things as the naturall conâ—â—ce never stirreth about â—econdly the knowledge of our â—â—lves is needfull else conscience canâ—â—t neither Though we know what â—s law requireth and what not â—t is good and what not yet unâ— we know whether we go with it 〈◊〉 against it conscience cannot accuse nor excuse As for example A close hypocrite he knoweth wel enough that the Lord hath condemned hypocrisie and that hypocrites must have their â—â—tion in hell yet if he do not know â—â—self to be an hypocrite his consciâ—â—â—e can never condemn him for being â—e And therefore both these knowâ—â—â—ges are necessary as well the knowâ—â—â—ge of a mans self as of Gods law â—any who had a hand in crucifying our â—â—viour sinned grievously yet they sinned not against knowledge becaâ— they knew not what they did Luke 23.34 Fathâ— forgive them they know not what they 〈◊〉 Thirdly It is a contradiction to 〈◊〉 a blind conscience in act The consâ—â—ence cannot be blind and yet actualâ— condemn Indeed the conscience it sâ— may be blind but it can never act and 〈◊〉 blind If it truly accuse or excuse must have some light It is true it maâ— erroneously excuse or accuse and yâ— have no true light Seeming light 〈◊〉 enough to do that seeming knowledgâ— is enough to make conscience erroneously excuse As they who killed thâ— Apostles John 16.2 their consciences excuseâ— them and told them they did Goâ— good service they seemed to know iâ— was good service to God and thereforâ— their consciences excused them c Thus ye see that the light that conscience workerh by is knowledge Vse 1 The use of this point is first to leâ— us see the infinite necessity of knowledge As good have no conscience aâ— all as conscience without knowledge for it cannot act and perform its office â—is is the reason why so many thouâ—ds go on in their sinnes without reâ—tance because being ignorant they â—e no conscience to prick them thereâ—o as Jer. 8.6 No man repenteth him â—his wickednesse saying What have I â—e Why what was the reason that â—nscience did not prick them and say â—is thou hast done and that Thus ye â—e rebelled c The text answereth 〈◊〉 the next verse My people know not 〈◊〉 judgement of the Lord. The stork â—weth her time and the turtle and the â—llow but my people do not know their â—ies Vse 2 Another use is to exhort us that we would labour to perfect the light of â—onscience that it may be able to guide 〈◊〉 and direct us unto heaven Our conâ—â—ience hath knowledge enough by the â—ght of nature to make us inexcusable â—nd to clear the justice of God though â—e should damne us for ever but there â—ust be a greater light then that that â—ust guide us to heaven O let us â—ray to Christ the true light to set up â—his light in us that we may never be at a losse in our way to happinesse nâ—ver step out of the right path but oâ— conscience may be able to put us in â—gain never go slowly but our consâ—â—ence may spurre us on faster that oâ— conscience may not be like the sâ—â— of a candle in a socket that flameth 〈◊〉 now and then and then is dark agaâ— and again it flameth out and is dark â—gain A man may see his book by iâ— but he cannot see to reade he may seâ— his pen and ink by it but he cannot seâ— to write a woman may see her needâ— and cloth by it but she cannot see tâ— work so it is with some mens consciences Their light is so dimme thaâ— they can see the duties but they cannoâ— see to do them they can see the commandments of God but they cannoâ— see to obey them O labour to perfecâ— the light of your consciences that yeâ— may see to walk by them And thuâ— much also of the second proposition The light that conscience acteth by is knowledge Now I should come to the third proposition which as I first propounded â—hem was this The bond that bindeth conscience is Gods law But I will now a little â—ter the method and make the other â—hich was propounded last to be the â—ird in the handling and it is this Proposition III. â—he office of Conscience is to bear witnesse to accuse or excuse COnscience is put into this office by God himself It is Gods officer III. Proposition The office of Conscience is to bear witnesse â—ot onely his register-book that shall 〈◊〉 opened at the day of judgement â—herein is set down our thoughts words and deeds but it is a preacher also to tell us our duty both towards â—od and towards man yea it is a â—â—werfull preacher it exhorteth urâ—th provoketh yea the most powerâ—ll preacher that can be it will cause â—e stoutest and stubbornest heart unâ—r heaven to quake now and then it â—ill never let us alone till it have â—ought us either to God or to the deâ— Conscience is joyned in comâ—ission with Gods owne spirit to be an instructour unto us in the way we should walk so that the spirit and it are resisted or obeyed together grieved or delighted together We cannot sinne against conscience but we sinne also against Gods spirit we cannot check our own consciences but we check and quench the holy spirit of God The office of conscience to our selves is Rom. 9.1 to bear witnesse My conscience beareth me witnesse saith Paul Conscience is alwayes ready to do this office if it shall at any time be invited unto it For conscience looketh sometimes for inviting sometimes it will not bear witnesse unlesse we invite it and call upon it so to do But there will come a time when it will do it and must do it and shall do it namely at death or at judgement then it will bear witnesse whether men invite it or no. Now it may be suppressed and silenced and kept under from witnessing but then it must bear witnesse and shall either excusing or accusing acquitting or condemning when God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts as the Apostle speaketh The properties that are given unto conscience in the discharge of its office are foure Foure Properties of Conscience 1. It is supreme 2. It is impartiall 3. It is faithfull 4. It is privie 1. It is supreme It hath highest authoritie it is the most uncontrollable and ablest witnesse that can be the greatest weightiest witnesse in the world better then ten thousand witnesses Though all the world do condemn us yet if our own conscience do not we need not fear And so on the contrary if conscience do condemn us it will be small comfort though all the world flatter and commend and excuse us It is a supreme witnesse Though
reasons why God hath given us a conscience the light that it acteth by the offices of it and the affections of it Now from all these proceed two other adjuncts of conscience 1. A quiet conscience 2. An unquiet conscience A quiet conscience COncerning a quiet conscience three things are to be considered 1. What a quiet conscience is 2. How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked 3. The examination whether we have this quiet conscience or no. I. For the first What a quiet conscience is It is that which neither doth nor can accuse us but giveth an honourable testimony of us in the course of our lives and conversations ever since we were regenerate I put that in too for 1. we do not begin to live till we be regenerate and 2. we can never have a true quiet conscience till then Such a quiet conscience had good Obadiah 1. Kings 18.12 I fear the Lord from my youth saith his conscience This was a very honourable testimony that his conscience gave him Such a quiet conscience had Enoch Heb. 11.5 Before his translation he received this testimony that he pleased God Dicente scripturâ inquit ille Haymo saith this testimony was the testimony of scripture Gen. 5.24 where it is said that he walked with God This is true but this is not all The text saith not there was such a testimony given of him but he had it and that before his translation but the testimony of Moses was after his translation Therefore it was the testimony of his conscience that bore witnesse within that he pleased God So that this is a quiet conscience which neither doth nor can accuse us but giveth an honourable testimony of us in the whole course of our life and conversation Now to such a quiet conscience there be three things necessary 1. Uprightnesse 2. Puritie 3. Assurance of Gods love and favour First uprightnesse is when a man is obedient indeed Many will be obedient but they are not obedient indeed not humbled indeed not reformed indeed What it is to be obedient indeed ye may see Exod. 23.22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voyce and do all that I shall speak c. Mark that is obedience indeed when we do all that God speaketh and are obedient in all things This is an upright conscience when the heart is bent to obedience in all things An example we meet with in Paul Acts 23.1 I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day His conscience could not accuse him of any root of wickednesse and corruption allowed and cherished in him That is an upright conscience Hast thou such a conscience as this My conscience can truly bear witnesse there is no sinne I favour my self in allow my self in but condemne all strive against all Thus David proveth that his conscience was upright If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer The regarding of any iniquity will not stand with uprightnesse A second thing required to a true quiet conscience is puritie Though ouâ— heart be upright and stand generally bent to do the Lords will yet if we be guiltie of some particular sinne this will hinder the quiet of our conscience Therefore saith Paul 1. Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my self that is no thing to acoâ— me no corruption no root of unbeliâ—â— reigning in him Infirmities he haâ— many and frailties he had many and hâ— knew them but he knew nothing 〈◊〉 accuse him Whatever was amisse iâ— him his conscience told him he useâ— all holy means against it If thy conscience can truly say thus also of thee then hast thou a truly quiet conscience Thirdly Assurance of Gods love favour and pardon Though we have fallen into great sinnes yet our consciences may have quiet if we can be truly assured of Gods love and favour in the pardon of them Heb. 10.2 The Apostle proveth that the sacrifices of the law could not purge away sinne but onely Christs bloud can do it His argument to prove it is this Because those sacrifices could not free a man from having conscience of sinne they could not purge the conscience but Christs bloud can After assurance of pardon in Christs bloud conscience can no more condemne for sinne how many or how great soever the sinnes were which have been committed These are the three things required to a true quiet conscience Furthermore a quiet conscience implieth two things 1. A calmnesse of spirit 2. A chearfull merry and comfortable heart These two I mean when I speak of a quiet conscience 1. A calmnesse of spirit or a quietnesse of mind not troubled with the burden of sinne nor the wrath of God nor terrified with the judgements due unto sinne This quietnesse and calmnesse of spirit is promised to all them that truly hearken unto Christ and obey him Prov. 1.33 Whoso hearkeneth to me shall be quiet from fear of evil 2. A chearfull merry and joyfull heart When our conscience giveth a comfortable testimonie of us it cannot but make our hearts joyfull 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimonie of our conscience saith Paul The comfortable testimonie which his conscience gave of him made him to rejoyce A wicked man cannot truly rejoyce no though he be merrie and joviall and laugh yet his carnall estate is a snare he can have no true joy but the righteous sing and rejoyce Prov. 29.6 No mirth like the mirth of a good conscience All other joy is but outside painted seeming joy That is onely true joy that is rooted in the comfortable testimonie of an upright good conscience which telleth a man his peace is made with God and that whether he be in sicknesse or in health God loveth him whether he live or die he is the Lords Thus ye see what a quiet conscience is How a quiet conscience in the godly differeth from the quiet conscience that is in the wicked THe second thing propounded to be considered about a quiet conscience is How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked 1. I confesse that the wicked seem to have a very quiet conscience Many thousands of carnall people seem to live and the in quiet Look into alehouses lewd houses into all places who so merrie and brisk and heart-whole as they say as they who have no saving grace Job 21.23 Yet 2. this quiet conscience in them must needs differ from the quiet conscience of the children of God Certainly the Lord will not give the childrens bread unto dogs neither will he smile upon their souls neither doth he pardon the sinnes nor accept the persons of the ungodly And therefore if they have a quiet conscience it must needs differ from that iâ— the godly Must not copper needs differ from gold And we who are the Lords messengers must teach you the difference Ezek. 44.23 They shall teach my people thâ—
difference between the holy and the profane Now the question is this Where in lieth the difference between the quiâ— conscience of the righteous and thâ— quiet conscience of the wicked Answ The difference between them lieth iâ— foure things 1. In the thing it self 2. In the cause 3. In the effect 4. Iâ— the continuance I. In the thing it self The quiet conscience in the godly is double not onely apparentiall and nominall but reaâ— and substantiall It is quiet and quiâ— too Isai 57.19 peace and peace too I create tâ— fruit of the lips peace peace Marâ— peace and peace too peace in appearance and peace in truth and substance also But the peace and quiet of consciencâ— which the wicked have is not such peace It is peace and no peace peace â—n appearance but no peace in truth Their god is the god of this world â—nd he perswadeth them they have peace But my God saith the prophet â—peaketh otherwise vers 21. There is no peace to â—he wicked saith my God They talk of a good conscience sometimes and boast they have a good conscience but the â—ruth is they cannot have true peace within for saith the prophet the wickâ—d is like the troubled sea which cannot â—est whose waters cast up mire and dirt So doth a wicked mans conscience seâ—retly cast up mire and dirt in his face His peace can onely be outward and apparentiall II. There is a difference in the cause The quiet of a good conscience ariseth â—rom one cause and the quiet of a bad â—onscience ariseth from another 1. The quiet of a good conscience â—riseth from a distinct knowledge of the word of God and of the precepts and promises conteined in it But the quiet of an evil conscience ariseth from ignorance When men know not Goâ— nor his holy word which should binâ— conscience they fear nothing becausâ— they see nothing they know not thâ— danger of sinne Like a blind maâ— standing before the mouth of a cannon he feareth no danger because hâ— seeth none so carnall men fear not because they know not what cause theâ— have to fear Their very prayers thâ— they make are an abomination to Goâ— and they know it not their good duties they do are all like cockatrices egâ— and they know it not they know noâ— that they are in the bond of iniquitie iâ— the snare of the devil Their conscienceâ— are quiet because they know not whaâ— cause they have to be otherwise Thiâ— is one difference The quiet and peacâ— of a good conscience ariseth from lighâ— and from knowledge the quiet anâ— peace of an evil conscience from darknesse and ignorance Heb. 10.22 2. The quiet of a good consciencâ— ariseth from a due examination of ouâ—selves by the word and purging of ouâ— consciences Conscience never can beâ— good without purging and sprinkling â—o nor without a due examination the â—uiet of a good conscience ariseth from â—is Whereas the quiet of a wicked â—ans conscience ariseth from want of â—is He never examineth his consciâ—ce but letteth it sleep till God awake â— with horrour I say a wicked mans â—onscience sleepeth and that maketh it â—uiet and he is not troubled nor moâ—sted with it Like a baillif or sergeant â—â—llen asleep by the way the desperate â—btour whom he lieth in wait for may â—sse by him then and find him very â—iet and not to offer to arrest him â—r like a curst dog fallen asleep a â—anger may passe by him then and not 〈◊〉 meddled with Such like is this quiet â—il conscience 3. The quiet of a good conscience â—iseth from a good ground from the â—ork of Gods Spirit from true saving â—ace from righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 â—e reade of righteousnesse and peace â—rue peace of conscience ariseth from â—ghteousnesse Whereas the false peace â—f the wicked ariseth onely from vain hopes and conceits They are not guilâ— of such and such great sinnes or Thâ— are not so bad as some others As the Phâ—risee's conscience was quiet why â— God I thank thee I am not as other mâ—â— are no drunkard extortioner nor liâ— this publicane Or perhaps from thiâ— ground their peace ariseth The Lorâ— is very mercifull and The Lord Jesâ—â— died for sinners Or perhaps this iâ— their plea They are good comers to churcâ— They have prayers in their families Thâ— have been professours of Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 many yeares From hence they dreaâ— of peace upon false grounds when â— the way of peace they have not knowâ— When conscience shall be awaked theâ— it will tell them how they have by flatery deceived their own souls and thaâ— having no true righteousnesse they could have no true peace 4. The quiet of a good consciencâ— ariseth from tendernesse and from life Therefore the Apostle joyneth together life and peace Rom. 8.6 Truâ— peace of conscience ariseth from life â— whereas the quiet of a wicked conscience ariseth from searednesse and beâ—mbednesse and deadnesse when men â—eing past feeling of sinne are not trouâ—ed at the committing of it Thus ye â—e the second thing wherein the diffeâ—nce lieth namely in the cause III. They differ in the effect First â—he effect of the quiet of a good conâ—cience is comfort and rejoycing Rom. 5.1 Beâ—â—g justified by faith we have peace with â—od through our Lord Jesus Christ What followeth By whom we have acâ—sse by faith rejoycing c. Mark The â—eace of conscience bringeth forth reâ—ycing And so in other places peace â—nd joy are joyned together Rom. 15.13 Gal. 5.22 But the â—vil conscience though quiet wanteth his rejoycing If carnall men had no â—ore mirth then what the quiet and â—eace of their consciences doth help â—hem to they would not be so merrie â—s most of them be Secondly Anoâ—her effect of true peace of conscience â— It sanctifieth the soul it purgeth the â—eart purifieth the life and reformeth â—he whole man It is the instrument whereby God sanctifieth his people more and more 1. Thess 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you wholly Observe the title which the Apostle there giveth unto God when he sanctifieth his people he calleth him the God of peace he sanctifieth his people by peace It maketh them think thus We must not do thus or thus as others do we shall lose the peace of our conscience if we do This maketh them strive against sinne denie their own wills and carnall appetites If I should not do so I should have no peace This peace sanctifieth But the peace which carnall men seem to have doth not sanctifie the soul they are never the more holy for the same Again another effect of the peace of a good conscience is to put life into us in the performance of good duties it maketh us with gladnesse and delight perform the duties of our generall and particular callings But the false peace of an evil conscience suffereth the wicked to be dead and dull to good duties The true peace keepeth our hearts and our minds We should
but it is the cause of our perceiving the same We know we have peace by reason of our obedience 1. John 2.29 We know that every one that doeth righteousnesse is born of God We know we are passed from death to life 1. John 3.14 1. John 4.13 because we love the brethren Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by the spirit that he hath given us Mark we come to know it by obedience and by the fruits of obedience Take away obedience we can never know peace They that walk by this rule Gal. 6.16 peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God saith the Apostle Thirdly our peace of conscience dependeth on our obedience as the confirming cause Christ confirmeth our peace to us by making us walk close to him and obedient unto him Paul sheweth how it preserveth peace as a shoe preserveth the foot ye know if we should walk without shoes barefoot our feet would be in danger of pricking and hurting So doth obedience to the Gospel preserve our peace Stand Ephes 6.15 saith the Apostle having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Mark he compareth it to a shoe which he would have us shod with and then it will be the Gospel of peace to us and our peace shall be in safety Fourthly our peace dependeth upon our obedience not onely as a signe of true peace nor onely as a guard to it but as a thing pleasing to God without the which we displease God For though God be pleased with his children alwayes in Christ yet he is not pleased that any in Christ should be disobedient to him 1. Thess 4.1 Ye have received of â—â— how ye ought to walk and to please God saith the Apostle When Gods children walk in obedience that is pleasing unto God So that peace of conscience doth greatly depend on obedience For otherwise conscience will be troubled O I do not please God This is displeasing unto God and This doth provoke God Not as though there were any such perfection in our obedience that can satisfie any tittle of Gods law but because when our persons are pleasing to God in Jesus Christ then our obedience to God is pleasing too in Jesus Christ and conscience will say it Thus much shall suffice for answer to the second question III. Question What manner of obedience it is that peace of conscience dependeth upon The reason of this question is this Because it should seem there is no such obedience in this life as any peace of conscience should depend on Doth not James say In many things we sinne all Doth not our Saviour say When ye have done all that ye can say We are unprofitable servants If our conscience can still say that we are unprofitable and that we do sinne in every thing that we do yea in many things in all the duties we go about if our consciences can say thus How can any peace depend upon obedience What obedience do you mean that peace of conscience dependeth upon I answer 1. Absolute perfection in obedience is not required unto evangelicall peace For if it were no man could have peace no not Paul nor Abraham nor any of the holiest of Gods children and therefore absolute perfection is not required If we say we have not sinned we make Christ a liar and his word is not in us 1. John 1.10 Our conscience can still say we have sinned and it can still say our obedience is imperfect A halting leg can never go perfectly A Jacob is called he that halteth and every godly soul halteth Though he do not halt between two as wicked people do yet he halteth in following after God What purblind eye can see perfectly or thick eare heare perfectly He that hath these imperfections of body can neither go nor see nor heare perfectly So the best of Gods children have imperfections of heart and spirit and mind their faith is imperfect their love is imperfect and therefore their obedience must needs be imperfect But absolute perfection is not required to true peace of conscience and therefore this doth not hinder it 2. Though absolute perfection be not required to peace yet such obedience is required as may be acceptable to God So saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5.9 We labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Such obedience we must shew as may be accepted of him or we cannot have true peace If our endevours be not acceptable our conscience will quickly heare of it and tell us so If we pray coldly or heare unprofitably or live loosely if we do not do that which is acceptable to God our consciences will soon complain Nay though we do do the duties if we do not do them in an acceptable manner conscience will have matter against us still 3. This acceptablenesse of obedience lieth in this when our obedience is sincere universall and totall and proceeding from the spirit of Christ Jesus dwelling in us The Apostle giveth it this phrase When we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.4 That is our fulfilling the law when Christ hath fulfilled the law for us and maketh us sincerely to walk by it not after the flesh but after the Spirit when we do not favour our selves in one lust nor suffer our selves in any beloved sinne but whatever it be that is evil our conscience can say we truly do hate it and labour to avoid it whatever it be that is commanded us be it never so contrary to our nature yet our conscience can say we sincerely set our selves to do it So walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit this is sincerity of obedience and this is required unto peace 4. This sincerity of obedience maketh us to bewail our very infirmities and to be humbled for them not onely to be humbled for greater sinnes but also to be humbled for our infirmities If we be not soundly humbled for our very infirmities also they will hinder the peace of our conscience We can have no peace except our conscience can witnesse that our infirmities do humble us and drive us to Christ and cause us to sue out a pardon If conscience have not a pardon sealed for infirâ—ities also it will not be at peace Christ bare our very infirmities Matth. 8.17 therefore we must be humbled for them Matth. 8.17 and go to him for pardon of them too or conscience will not be at peace Thus I have answered also this third question IV. Question How if a man have a burdened and troubled conscience what must he do to be freed from it The reason of this question is this Because men are ignorant about it When men are troubled in conscience and burdened a little that way presently they daub all with peace and go a wrong way to work This course the Lord doth complain of in the false prophets who preached too much peace