II. An erroneous conscience.

SEcondly, an erroneous conscience is, 2. An er­roneous conscience when conscience not understanding Gods law, or misapplying it, doth judge amisse and direct amisse. So Jo­sephs conscience for a while was in an errour when Mary was found with child: Matth. 1.19. His conscience informed him that he must either make her a publick example or put her away privily. Here his conscience erred about this particu­lar [Page 79] untill the Angel had better inform­ [...]d him. There is a question Quest. here rai­ [...]ed by Divines, and it is, Whether we [...]ught to follow conscience erring or [...]o? A question very necessary to be [...]andled, partly because of mens igno­ [...]nce in this kind, and partly because of [...]e frequency of the case. I answer [...]us;

Ans. 1 First, we must not obey conscience [...]ing or counselling to that which is [...]l; For our errour of conscience doth [...]t make the transgression of the law [...] be no sinne; though an erroneous [...]nscience lead us to transgresse it.

Because the law of God is above conscience; and therefore the com­ [...]andment of Gods law standeth in full [...]rce though conscience command [...]ntrary to it. Suppose a man should [...]ink in his conscience he might not [...]ke an oath though never so lawfully [...]lled thereunto by the magistrate and [...] never so necessary a case, when as the [...]ord of God commandeth us to swear [...] truth, in righteousnesse, and in judge­ [...]ent; I must follow the commandment [...] [Page 82] different to do or not to do which yet is not indifferent but absolutely com­manded, then it is alwayes a sinne not to do it, but it is no sinne to do it. The third proposition is this, If conscience hold a thing necessarie which God hath left indifferent, as if a man in conscience thought that he ought to pray foure times a day (which thing yet God hath left indifferent;) in this he is bound to obey conscience though it erre. And it is no sinne to obey conscience thus er­ring; though it be a sinne in conscience thus to erre.

Vse 1 The use of this is, I. to let us see what a sacred sovereigne thing a mans consci­ence is. It is alwayes a sinne to disobey conscience whether it erre or no, as it is alwayes a sinne to disobey God. A man can never go against his conscience but he sinneth. 1. Because conscience is our guide: It is our inward and our in­separable guide; we can never come by any direction but by conscience; we can never let in the commandment of God but onely by conscience: and therefore the Lord hath made it a very sovereigne [Page 83] thing. 2. Because we break a command­ment through the loyns of a sinne, when we go against conscience. Ajax light upon a beast and slew it: his con­science thought verily it was a man; Kill it not, saith conscience, it is a man: he goeth against his conscience and kil­leth it. His conscience here was in an errour, yet he as truly guilty of murder before God as if he had indeed slain a man, because he slew a man through the loyns of this beast: His bloudy mind looked at a man, and smote at a man, and slew a man. So when conscience is erroneous, and thinketh this is a com­mandment of God; it is not so, but he thinketh it so in his conscience; if he do contrary he breaketh a commandment though it be none, because the errour of his conscience made it one to him. Was not Herod truly guilty of the murder of Christ? He thought in his conscience that Christ had been among the infants slain at Bethlehem. Thus conscience is a sovereigne thing: It is alwayes a sinne to go against it, erre or not erre: and if it be a sinne to go against [...] [Page 86] one doubteth of the lawfulnesse of play­ing at cards and dice; he is sure it is no sinne not to play, but whether he may lawfully play he doubteth: in this case he is bound not to play. So when one doubteth whether it be a sinne not to call his familie together every day to prayer; Gods ministers tell him he must or he sinneth: I doubt of that, saith he. Do you so? but you are sure it is no sinne to do it: Therefore you are bound to do it, because you are bound to decline the doubtfull part and take that which is certain. And so of all o­ther the like particulars.

Rule 2 2. When conscience doubteth on both sides which is the sinne and which not, then a man ought to do that which is most void of offense. As for example; Say an Anabaptist amongst us doubteth whether it be a sinne in him to bring his child to church to be baptized, or a sinne to refuse; here his rule is, That that which is most void of offense, and most agreeable to brotherly unity and concord, is to be taken, the balance hanging otherwise even; and the argu­ments [Page 87] to urge both the one or the o­ther seeming of like weight, then this must be put into the scale and resolve the doubt.

Rule 3 3. It is lawfull to do some things when yet our conscience doubteth of the lawfulnesse of them. For we must consider there are two kinds of doubt­ing: there is a speculative doubting, and there is a practicall doubting. Specula­tive doubting is to doubt of the lawful­nesse of the thing it self to be done: Practicall doubting is to doubt of the lawfulnesse of the doing of it. Now this latter is not alwayes a sinne, but the o­ther is: As for example; If a servant be commanded of his master to attend on him on the Lords day, he knoweth not what his businesse should be, and perhaps doubteth it is not of such mo­ment as to be done on that day; yet he hath no reason to deny his attendance: in this case though he doubt of the law­fulnesse of the thing done, yet he need not doubt of the doing of it, because he knoweth not what the businesse is, and hath no reason whereby he is able to [...] [Page 90] doubts and scruples whether he is right or no, especially in matters of greatest moment. It is a great misery to have our consciences blind, which should be our guides, and which it is a sinne to dis­obey. This is the reason why S ^t Paul doth so often speak, I would not have you ignorant, 1. Cor. 10.1. and 11.3. It is a very great misery that ones conscience should be ignorant what to do, what to hold, what to follow: I say, it is a la­mentable miserie, that many who have followed the directions of conscience, should by it be led to death and damna­tion, to do things contrary to Gods word. What a misery was it for the Jews to have zeal and not according to knowledge? &c.

Vse 2 II. This should teach us to use the means truly to inform conscience▪ Without knowledge the heart is not good; Prov. 29.1 that is, it is most profane. There be three means to get knowledge. Means to get know­ledge. 1 1. Let us pray unto God that he would ope [...] our understandings; that as he hath gi­ven us consciences to guide us, so also he would give our guides eyes that they [Page 91] may be able to direct us aright. The truth is, it is God onely that can sound­ly illighten our consciences: and there­fore let us pray unto him to do it. All our studying, and reading, and hearing, and conferring will never be able to do it: it is onely in the power of him who made us to do it. Psal. 119.73. Thy hands have made and fashioned me: O give me understand­ing, that I may learn thy commandments. He who made our consciences, he onely can give them this heavenly light of [...]rue knowledge and right understand­ing: and therefore let us seek earnestly to him for it. 2 2. We must seek it in humility, alwayes suspecting our own knowledge. We are not too confident­ly and presumptuously to trust to our [...]wn judgement, and despise or neglect [...]he judgement of others. Psal. 25.9. The humble [...]od will teach: Pride and self-conceited­ [...]esse blindeth exceedingly. 3 3. We must [...]eek with sobriety, alwayes contenting [...]ur selves with that knowledge which [...]s most necessarie, and not be curious a­ [...]out vain and idle-braind questions, or solicitous to answer every objection [...] [Page 94] ty, offendeth conscience; and consci­ence will keep a grudge a long time, and will give many a secret wound, deading the heart to duty, making faith and con­fidence in God dull: we cannot pray with courage, nor come before God with boldnesse. If our hearts condemn us not, we have confidence, saith John. 1. John 3.21. An er­roneous conscience will defile you; a doubting conscience distract you; a scrupulous conscience unsettle you: but above all other, an illightened consci­ence, if it have any thing against you will exceedingly disable you; this stab­beth at the heart your confidence to­wards God. Go then and labour to purge conscience, else conscience will hinder you; whether you pray, or heare or receive the Sacrament, &c. it will de­prive you of comfort. Matth 5.23. If thou bring th [...] gift to the altar, and there remembrest tha [...] thy brother hath ought against thee, leav [...] there thy gift before the altar: first go an [...] be reconciled to thy brother, and then com [...] and offer thy gift. The case is greater an [...] more dangerous when conscience hat [...] something against us: there is no offering [Page 95] will be accepted untill conscience be satisfied. If thou shouldest be about to pray, and conscience should stand up against thee as an adversary, and tell thee thou hast been vain, and loose, and carnall all this day, thou hast not set thy self to keep close to God this day, thou hast fallen into this and that sinne this day; thou art not fit to pray till thou hast reconciled thy self to consci­ence: Alas, thy conscience will secret­ly undermine all thy praying. First, [...]herefore reconcile conscience by hum­ [...]ling thy self, and breaking thy heart, and resolving, I have sinned, I will do no more. When conscience can say thy sorrow, and repentance, and resolution for new obedience is sincere, then thou [...]rt fit to pray, but not before. So what­ [...]ver other duty thou goest about, be [...]ure to reconcile conscience; else all will miscarry.

V. A faithfull conscience.

THus I have expounded the adjuncts of conscience which shew them­selves in the discharge of its duty, [...] [Page] every motion and inclination to evil: it is awake to see when evil is conceived, to tell us of it, to oppose it, and to dis­swade us from it: like a watchman on the top of a tower, alwayes awake to see when any danger approcheth. It is Gods minister with eyes on every side, to espie seasons of good, and stirre up to make use of them; and of evil, and give warning to avoid them.

2. As a faithfull conscience is watch­full, so also it is rigid and severe. 2. It is se­vere. In e­very cause it delivereth its judgement: nothing can escape its sentence: it will not favour our lusts in any particular. If there be any opportunity of duty to God or man, it maketh us to heare of it; though it be such a duty as none other will call upon us for, or it may be dare not put us in mind of; as of love, and care, and help towards inferiours: yet conscience will: It titheth mint and cumine, and will tell us of the least duty. And so on the other side, it will not swallow the least sinne. As it will not swallow a camel, Luke 16.10. so it will strain at [...] gnat. A faithfull conscience is faithfull [Page 99] in the least. If David sinne but in the lap of a garment, conscience smiteth him for it. It made Abraham so precise to a thread or a shoe-latchet; he would not take so much as that of the king of Sodom. It made Moses strict to a very hoof: It made Paul find fault with the Corinthians about their hair: It made Augustine condemn himself for an apple.

3. As a faithfull conscience is watch­full and severe, so also it is importunate 3. It is im­portunate. [...] all its counsels. It doth not onely de­liver its judgement, but doth with im­portunitie urge the following of its counsel. It will have no nay, but will be obeyed. It leadeth us bound in the Spirit to do it; as Paul said, Acts 20.22. I go bound [...] the spirit. See how importunate this [...]ithfull conscience was with the Psal­ [...]ist: I will not give sleep to mine eyes, Psal. 132.4. nor [...]mber to mine eye-lids, untill I find out a [...]ace for the Lord. It will not take any [...]y, say we what we will: say we be [...]epie, say we be busie, say we be loth [...]d full of excuses, it will be importu­ [...]te, and that with vehemencie. It will [...] [Page 102] omitting good or committing evil, will not let thee slumber and sleep in securi­tie, but continually joggeth and awa­keth thee? Hath he given thee a severe, a precise conscience, that will not fa­vour thee in the least evil? It is a most comfortable signe that the Lord mean­eth well unto thy soul.

Vse 3 III. Labour to be a friend unto con­science, that it may continue faithfull unto thee. True friends will deal faith­fully and plainly one with another, and will be importunate to do one anothe [...] good: Conscience will not deal thus with thee unlesse thou be a friend unto conscience. Now then are we friends unto conscience when we do what con­science requireth. As our Saviour said to the Disciples, John 15.14. Ye are my friends if y [...] do whatever I command you; So I may say of conscience. For conscience if i [...] be truly illightened will command no­thing but what Christ commandeth. I [...] we deal so in our constant course with conscience, be willing to hearken to it and be ruled by it, then if we be out o [...] the way now and then, conscience will [Page 103] be true to us, and be importunate with us for our good.

Vse 4 IV. Be sure thou stand not out a­ [...]ainst conscience when once it is im­ [...]ortunate. It is a great sinne to stand [...]ut against conscience though it be not [...]mportunate; but it is a sinne a thousand [...]mes greater to stand out against it when it is importunate. Maxima violatio conscientiae est maximè peccatum. The greatest standing out against conscience is the greatest sinne: it is a sinne which co­meth nearest that against the holy [...]host, which accompanied with some other adjuncts is the greatest standing out against conscience. There is no sinne that doth more harden the heart then to do evil when conscience is importu­ [...]ate to disswade from it. This sinne [...]as the cause why Saul was rejected of [...]od; I forced my self, saith he: 1. Sam. 13.12. He for­ [...]d his conscience; his conscience was [...]portunate to have him stay accord­ [...]g to the commandment of God, but [...] forced himself to the contrary. I [...]nfesse, if conscience be importunate [...]o the utmost, as it is with Gods chil­ [...]en, men cannot with any force put it [...] [Page 106] zealous in Gods cause against the house of Ahab and the priests of Baal; 2. Kings 10.29. but it suffered him to maintein the high places which Jeroboam had set up. Thus Ga­maliel's conscience made him speak well for Paul, and yet continue (it seemeth) in much other evil. This con­science will restrain from great staring sinnes, or from such sinnes as the man hath no naturall propensity unto: but others which seem of a lower nature, or which are suitable to a mans particular desires, these conscience will swallow without remorse. As civil people, that cannot swallow down couzenage and injustice, and yet neglect of prayer and other religious duties never troubleth them. And so some professours, who cannot omit hearing sermons and talk­ing of religion, and yet can rest without the power thereof.

3. It is remisse; 3. It is remisse. that is, though it doth counsel and direct, yet it doth it with such coldnesse & remissenesse that it is easily answered and put off. Thus it was with David. It cannot be thought but his conscience said, Plot not against [Page 107] Vriah's life: But he would; and so con­science let him do it. This conscience will be answered with every slight and [...]dle excuse: As when conscience tel­ [...]eth one, Your wayes are not good: I wish you to repent, and make your peace with God; it may be the man answereth, Yea, so I mean to do; but I cannot yet in­tend it: when I have dispatched such and such businesse then I will do it. If consci­ence speak again, Yea, but you were best to do it now; True, saith he, I know it, I know it. If God would give me repentance I would repent: It is his gift; of my self I cannot do it. Or when it telleth him of family-duties, it may be he answereth, I have no leisure; so long as I go to God by my self, I hope it will serve turn. Or when it telleth him of his wickednesse, [...]t may be he answereth, Many worse then I have found mercy; and I hope so shall I. This is the conscience that letteth a mans heart say, I shall have peace. Deut. 29.19. Now [...]onscience being remisse and cold, it is [...]asily put off and answered with these idle and foolish excuses, or with some other pretenses like these, and so letteth [Page 108] the man go and live as before. This con­science is like Eli, which said, Ye do not well, my sonnes, but exercised no seve­rity to cause them to do otherwise.

Vse.By this we see the dangerous estate of those men who have such a consci­ence. There be many who live in many sinnes, in carnall courses, some in com­pany-keeping and drunkennesse, some in hatred and variance, some in cham­bering and wantonnesse, some in cove­tousnesse & love of this present world [...] your consciences no question can say Ye should do well to be more godly, to look more after Christ and after heaven, and ye should do well to get the truth of sa­ving grace; yet it may be they say no­thing or nothing to the purpose in this behalf. Therefore is these mens case so dangerous because their consciences are so silent and so remisse. They have lost the most sovereigne remedy, namely conscience. Conscience is the most so­vereigne means (under God and his ho­ly Spirit) to work repentance in men that can be; and is it not dangerous to have it prove traiterous and unfaithful? [Page 109] What good can the ministerie of the word do unto you when every idle and false excuse or pretense which the wisdome of the flesh can devise can stop [...]he mouth of your conscience when it [...]alleth upon you to do what the word [...]equireth? It must needs be dangerous, [...]nd so much the more because it is so pleasing unto you: ye take delight in such silent, and large, and remisse un­faithfull consciences; ye love not to have your consciences too busie with [...]ou; ye like not that your consciences [...]hould be too clamourous and importu­nate with you; ye would have them not too rigid and vehement against your sinnes. It fareth with you as with many young men who have sold them­selves unto folly, and think none their friends but parasites that flatter them, or those who connive and wink at their folly: but such friends will soon prove foes, and so will such moderate and quiet consciences. It is a dangerous [...]hing to have such a silent conscience; to want the chief means under God of doing a man good. It was conscience [Page] that told the lepers, 2. Kings 7.9. We do not well to hold our peace: It was conscience that never would let the prodigall sonne be quiet till he returned to his father, and said unto him, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne: It is con­science that is the most powerfull means under God to quicken a man up [...] to repentance and obedience; and therefore they are in a miserable case that want this great help.

Quest.But what are the causes why mens consciences be so evil and unfaithfull?

Answ.The causes hereof are chiefly these foure:

1. Ignorance is one cause why a mans conscience is unfaithfull, when we do not labour to have conscience throughly illightened and informed. Who are more carelesse and negligent of their duties both to God and man? who can with more freedome lye, steal, covet, sinne, &c. then those that are ig­norant of the law of God? They know not that they do so much hurt to their own souls as they do. An ignorant [Page 111] mind hath alwayes an evil conscience. [...]t is impossible conscience should be [...]ithfull where it is not illightened: and [...]ence it cometh to passe that conscience i [...] so negligent and unfaithfull, because [...]e have been so carelesse of informing [...]. Thy conscience must needs be silent [...] long as thou art ignorant. 1. Pet. 2.15. Ignorance [...] soon put to silence.

2. A second cause is often slighting of conscience. It may be conscience speaketh not, or but coldly and remisse­ly, because when it hath advised, and c [...]unselled, and admonished, thou hast neglected it and disregarded it from time to time. Though it judge and counsel, yet thou wilt not listen: Like Cassandra the prophetesse, who though her predictions were true and certain, [...]t were they never believed: so though [...]nscience speaketh true, yet men fol­ [...]w it not; and therefore it becometh [...]ent when it is not regarded, but all [...] counsel, and advise, and perswasions [...]ghted and neglected. Hence, I say, it [...]meth to passe that for want of im­ [...]loyment it is still and falleth asleep, till [Page] the time come that it must be awa­ked.

3. The third cause is that violence that is often offered unto it. Many times when conscience perswadeth to any good duty, or disswadeth from any evi [...] course, men will do against it and with­stand it violently, & put off the whole­some advise of it: hence it cometh to passe that conscience having so many injuries offered unto it, beginneth to provide for its own ease, and so either it is silent and saith nothing, or else i [...] soon answered and rebuked; as it was with Moses: When Pharaoh would never hearken unto Moses, but still fell to excuses, and at last to deny all, he would not let Israel go notwithstanding all that Moses could urge, but said to Moses, Exod. 10.29. Get thee from me; take heed to thy self; see my face no more; Moses then an­swered, Thou hast spoken well: I will se [...] thy face no more. So it is with consci­ence; When men have been obstinate and have refused to heare it, and woul [...] have it speak no more, Thou hast wel [...] spoken, saith conscience: henceforth I will [Page 113] trouble you no more, but let you alone to take your course: I will advise you no more; or if I do I will not be any more impor­ [...]unate.

4. A fourth cause is, that men do wilfully stop the mouth of conscience: [...]f it beginneth to speak, presently they [...]usie themselves about other things; or if that will not do, they runne into companie, and there spend their time, that the howlings of conscience may not be heard; and if still it be loud, they strike up the drumme, and ring all [...]e bells, that the voice of it may be [...]terly drowned: and so conscience at last is content to stand by, to heare and see & say nothing. By this means many [...]mes it falleth out that those who [...]ave had very turbulent and clamou­ [...]us consciences not suffering them [...] be quiet, have at last tamed them [...]d put them quite to silence; or if [...]ey do speak, it is so coldly and re­ [...]issely that they care not whether they [...] obeyed or no. Oh these are damna­ [...]e and devilish devises! Whoever ye [...]e that do thus, ye are in a dangerous [Page 114] estate, and ye carry the brands of hell and damnation upon you. If ever you desire to avoyd this dangerous estate, then shun the cause: Labour to have your conscience throughly illightned and informed by the word of God, that it may reade you your duty. A friend that knoweth but little can give but lit­tle counsel. Again, give heed evermore to the counsel of conscience. You know Achitophel took it ill that his counsel was not followed; therefore he made away himself in displeasure: So con­science will take it very ill if its coun­sel be not followed: it will strangle it self, and smother it self; you shall hear no more of it. Especially take heed you do not reject conscience, nor offer vio­lence to it: If you do, you will make it unfaithfull and remisse; and then you lose the best means under heaven of your good: Then deadnesse of spirit succeedeth, and hardnesse of heart ta­keth place, and you deprive your souls of all possibility of cure. As long as a sick man hath any possibility of cure he is still under hope; but if ever he lost [Page 115] that he is gone: Conscience is the pos­sibilitie of the soul to amendment; and therefore if you dull conscience, and make conscience remisse and unfaith­full, you take the ready way to deprive your selves of all possibility of rising again. Consider these things, and have a care of your consciences.

And thus we have handled the office of conscience about things to be done and omitted, with its adjuncts, affecti­ons, and properties in that behalf. I [...]ome now to consider the office of con­science about things already done or omitted, together with the affections of conscience in the discharge of that office.

I. An approving conscience.

FIrst, when that which is done is good, conscience approveth it: as Paul saith, This is our rejoycing, the te­stimony of our conscience, 2. Cor. 1.12. When he had lived uprightly and sin­cerely, his conscience approved of it: so when he had great sorrow and hea­vinesse for his brethren, his conscience approved it; Rom. 9.1. my conscience bearing me witnesse, saith he. So at his latter end we may see how his conscience appro­ved the whole course of his life: 2. Tim. 4.7, 8. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, &c. there is consciences approbation of him: from henceforth, saith he, is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse: there is consciences judgement concer­ning the issue of it. Conscience so ap­proveth every particular good action done by a faithfull man, that by it he may gather a testimony of the upright­nesse of his heart: as Hezekiah; Re­member, Lord, that I have walked upright­ly before thee. 1. John 3.14. Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life, because we [Page 117] love the brethren. Mark; Love to Gods children is a sufficient testimony not onely of our uprightnesse in that parti­cular act, but also of the simplicity of our hearts in the generall, and that we are translated from death to life. So when good old Simeon had now even finished his dayes, see what an appro­bation his conscience gave of him; Luke 2.29. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. His conscience here gave a threefold blessed approba­ [...]on of him. 1. That he had been Gods [...]ithfull servant: thy servant. 2. That he had walked in the wayes of true peace and comfort: depart in peace. 3. That the promise of Gods word was his in particular; according to thy word.

II. An absolving conscience.

THe second part of the office of con­science is to absolve and acquit. [...]hus Samuel pleading his innocency, [...]d his conscience testifying for him, [...]hose ox have I taken? 1. Sam. 12.3. or whom have I de­ [...]auded? and his conscience absolved [...]m as clear and free from those sins. [Page 118] Thus also Job; If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherlesse, when I saw my help in the gate; If I rejoyced because my wealth is great; If I have not given my bread to the hungry; or if I have rejoyces at the misery of mine enemie: then let i [...] be thus and thus to me. His conscienc [...] absolved him as clear of those sinnes▪ Nay, the conscience of a child of God doth not onely absolve him from th [...] guilt of those sinnes which he neve [...] committed, but also from the guilt o [...] those sinnes which he hath committe [...] against God or against man. It can tel [...] him he hath truly repented, and trul [...] been humbled, and truly got pardon Ye know David had committed dive [...] sinnes: yet when he had humbled [...] soul before God, and obteined pardo [...] his conscience telleth him as much an [...] absolveth him, Psal. 103.3. Blesse t [...] Lord, O my soul, &c. who forgiveth [...] thy sinnes. Nay, though a child of Go [...] have many infirmities dayly and hou [...] ly, yet his conscience doth absol [...] him: It is no more I that do it, saith [...] conscience, but sinne that dwelleth in [...] [Page 119] If I distrust, it is no more I; for I fight [...]gainst it: if I be overtaken by any weak­ [...]esse, it is no more I; for I laboured against [...], and do bewail it.

III. A misliking conscience.

THe third part of consciences office in things done is to mislike if we [...]ave done ill. There be imperfections in the best obedience of Gods dearest servants: What I do I allow not, Rom. 7.15. saith [...]aul: His conscience misliked some [...]ing done by him. But that mislike of [...]onscience which now I speak of is of [...]ings that are ill done, that is, not done in truth and sinceritie. Thus it is [...] all that are not renewed by the holy Ghost: The office of their conscience [...]deed is to mislike what they do: When they have prayed, their consci­ [...]ce can mislike it, and say, I have not [...]ayed with a heavenly mind, a holy heart: When they have been at a Sacrament, [...]onscience can truly mislike it, and say, [...] have not been a fit guest at Christs ta­ [...]e, &c. When they are crossed and [...]empted, their consciences truly mislike [Page 120] their carriage, and say, I do not fight and resist, but readily and willingly yield t [...] every invitation to evil. Do ye no [...] think that Jeroboams conscience mis­liked his altering Gods worship, hi [...] innovating religion, his making Israe [...] to sinne? do not ye think his conscienc [...] misliked him for these things? Do no [...] ye think that Nabals conscience mis­liked his griping? and Doegs consci­ence misliked his slandering? and Pashurs conscience misliked his opposin [...] and misusing Jeremie? and the old pro­phets conscience misliked his lying▪ Who would have thought but Balaa [...] said well, Whatsoever the Lord saith un­to me that will I speak, and, I canno [...] go beyond the commandment of the Lor [...] to do lesse or more; no, not for Bala [...] house full of gold? who would hav [...] thought but that this was well said yet his own conscience could no [...] choose but mislike it, being not spoke [...] in sinceritie. Many a man hath goo [...] for a Christian twentie or thirtie years and every one liketh him; and yet i [...] may be his conscience hath disliked him all the while.

IV. A condemning conscience.

THe fourth part of consciences of­fice in this behalf is to condemne [...]f we have done evil and contrarie to Gods law. Conscience hath an office [...]ot onely to mislike us but also to con­ [...]emne us: nay, it will hasten more to [...]ondemne us then God. We see it in Adam: Gen. 3.7. When Adam had sinned his [...]onscience condemned him before God did: he knew he was naked, that [...] had made his soul shamefully naked; [...]s conscience condemned him for an [...]ostate before the Lord came to passe [...]ntence upon him. Nay, it condemn­ [...]th us oftner then God: God will condemne a sinner but once for all, viz. [...] the last day; but conscience con­ [...]mneth him many thousand times be­ [...]re that. Many men and women who [...] seem godly in the worlds eyes, God [...]oweth how many of them have con­ [...]mning consciences in their bosomes, [...] all their civilities, and formalities, [...]d crying God mercie, and patched­ [...] hopes; many who would say that [Page 122] man were uncharitable who should condemn them for such and such, who (it may be) find conscience within so uncharitable, and saying plainly, Ye are so; like the conscience of Pauls here­tick, Tit. 3.11. who is said to be condemned of him­self.

Vse 1 I. This serveth for the praise of the justice of God: That he may be just when he judgeth, the Lord needeth no other witnesse against us but our own consciences: they make way for the just judgement of God. Ye may see this in this portion of Scripture which we have in hand; Rom. 2.15. wherein is shewed both that God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world, vers. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men according to my Gospel: and then in the verse going be­fore the Apostle sheweth that now in the mean while every mans conscience maketh way for this just judgement of God; their conscience bearing witnesse, and their thoughts in the mean time ac­cusing or excusing one another. At the last day every man shall be judged ac­cording [Page 123] to his conscience; a child of God according to his; a carnall man according to his. The Lord shall ab­solve all his children, and their own consciences shall absolve them. The Lord shall condemn all the rest, and their own consciences shall condemn them. This is the book that every mans life is set down in? Every passage of conversation both of the godly and the wicked is recorded dayly in this book: And according to what is writ­ten therein will the Lord judge every soul at the last day, as Rev. 20.12. The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book according to their works. The Apostle there speaketh prophetically, and putteth the past time for the future; they were judged, that is, they shall be judged. So that ye see that by the judgement of conscience way is made for the just judgement of God.

Vse 2 II. This should be a means to keep us from sinne, and to keep us in a ho­ly life: for according to our works so will be the evidences of our consci­ences, [Page 124] whether they be good or evil. We had need to take heed what we write in our consciences; for according to what is written there so shall we be judged. Therefore if any sinne stand­eth upon record in our consciences, we had need get it blotted out by the bloud of Christ. Repent, be humbled, beg for pardon, rest not till thou seest this debt-book conscience crossed, and thy sinnes stand there cancelled and dis­charged.

THus I have shewed you the offices of conscience about things hereto­fore done. Now let me shew you the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices. Ye have heard that con­science hath foure offices in things here­tofore done; 1. an office to approve; 2. an office to absolve; 3. an office to dislike; 4. an office to condemne; The two former when we have done well▪ and lived well; then the office of conscience is to approve and absolve: The two latter when we have done ill and lived ill; then the office of consci­ence is to mislike and to condemne. [Page 125] Now followeth the affections of con­science in the discharge of these offices; and they are foure: 1. A tender con­science; 2. A sleepie conscience; 3. A benumbed conscience; 4. A seared conscience.

First, a tender conscience; 1. A ten­der con­science. that is, a conscience touched with the least sin, [...]nd checking us for the least sinne; as for vain thoughts, exorbitant passions, [...]dle words, and the like. 1. Sam. 24 5. Such was Da­vids conscience, which smote him for [...]utting off the lap of Sauls garment. Such was Zaccheus his conscience, which troubled him for supposed sins: [...]f I have wronged any man, saith he. He [...]id not know; but his conscience was so [...]ender that it made him carefull of Ifs. This tender conscience is a singular blessing of God: And if we desire to [...]ttein unto it we must labour to see the [...]diousnesse of sinne, yea the malignity [...]nd exceeding evil there is in the least [...]inne: this will make us tender of it. Secondly, we must labour to mourn for very sinne though it seem little: this [...]lso will keep our consciences tender. [Page 126] And we have great cause to prise a ten­der conscience. What got the Bethshe­mites by not being tender in consci­ence? They looked into the Ark, and because they durst venture upon it th [...] Lord smote fifty thousand of them a [...] once. 1. Sam. 6.19. Numb. 15.32, 36. What got the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath for not being ten­der in conscience? He was stoned t [...] death. Conscience should tender th [...] least commandment of God, and so b [...] tender of the committing the least sin [...] This conscience is a great blessing.

The second affection of conscienc [...] is sleepinesse. A sleepy conscience 2. A slee­py consci­ence. i [...] not so quick in smiting us as it ought either it checks not, or else with suc [...] faintnesse that it worketh not upon us it maketh us never the more watchful [...] against sinne. This we see by many wh [...] can commit such sinnes without trouble or disquiet as would bring others on their knees and make the [...] walk heavily long after. This sleep [...] conscience is very dangerous: it maketh men as ready to fall into the same sinne [...] tomorrow as to day, and next day as tomorrow: [Page 127] it letteth them see their faults, but amendeth none; because this is such a conscience as doth not cause men to feel the burden of their sinnes. A man can never come to Christ as long as he hath a sleepy conscience; because it doth not cause sinne to be burden­ [...]ome. They who have this conscience [...]an sleep for all it, and eat and drink and [...]e merry for all it: Now a man can ne­ [...]er come to Christ that is not burden­ [...]d with his sinne, that he cannot bear [...], cannot be quiet for it, cannot sleep [...]or it: then Christ calleth him, Come un­ [...]o me, Matth. 11.28. all ye that are weary and heavy la­ [...]en, and I will ease you.

A benumbed conscience; that is, 3. A be­numbed conscience [...]ch a conscience as is in a deep sleep. This differs from the former in degree. You know there is a lesse sleep, and [...]ere is a greater sleep: There is a lesse [...]eep, when onely the outward senses [...]e bound; and there is a sleep when [...]e inward senses are bound too. Now benumbed conscience is a conscience [...]hat is in a deep sleep; Preach to it, it [...]ourneth not; cry to it, it listeneth [Page 128] not: This is a benumbed conscience. Nor the greatnesse of sinne, nor the wrath of God denounced against it can move it. Men can know themselves guilty of such and such sinnes, and yet not lay them to heart: conscience ne­ver telleth them about it. Thus the A­postle speaketh of those who knew th [...] judgement of God, Rom. 1.32. that they which commi [...] such things are worthy of death, yet no [...] onely do the same, but have pleasure i [...] them that do them: Their conscience [...] though informed, and in some measure knowing the evil of their courses and the severitie of Gods judgement, yet le [...] them go on still, and not onely commi [...] the evil themselves, but delight to se [...] others as bad as themselves. Such ar [...] our swearers, and drunkards, and company-keepers, &c. This is a ver [...] wretched conscience: the Lord delive [...] us from it.

4. A seared conscienceFourthly, a seared conscience; tha [...] is, such a conscience as speaketh not [...] jote; seared with a hot iron, as the Apostles phrase is, 1. Tim. 4.2. a sense lesse conscience, a past-feeling conscience: [Page 129] when men can swallow down sinne like drink, oathes, contempt of God, his word and worship, mockage of Gods servants, hating to be reform­ed; such as sin without any remorse. This kind of conscience is in foure sorts of men: 1. In dissolute and profligate persons; who like common strumpets have their souls lie open to every sinne that cometh by. 2. In obstinate sinners, such as, like Ahab, have sold them­selves to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. 3. In scoffers and jeerers; who speak evil of them who runne not in the same excesse of riot with themselves, and nickname the godly. 4. In Apo­states and backsliders; who speak lies through hypocrisie, and have fallen from the profession of the truth: All these men have a conscience seared with a red-hot iron. This is a great judgement of God: greater then this there cannot [...]e: No outward judgement that can fall upon us is like unto it: not the plague, nor shame, nor beggery, no nor any curse besides hell it self is equall to it. By this the onely means under God [Page 130] of repentance is taken away. Such may come to repent; but it is a thousand to one if ever they do. It is like a grave­stone lying upon their consciences, which keepeth them under untill the day of judgement: at which time God will awaken their consciences, and then they will be more furious in torment­ing then the very devils themselves.

Vse.Ye that are not yet fallen upon this wretched conscience, I beseech you take heed that ye never do. But ye will aske me, How may we avoid it? Avoid it? alas, ye may avoid it if ye be carefull: for conscience never seareth it self: If ever it be seared, it is ye your selves that do fear it. Indeed the mind of man may blind its own self, and the heart of man may corrupt its ownself; and the affections of man may defile their own selves: but conscience never corrupteth it self, never seareth it self. But you will say, What must I do to avoid this searing of conscience?

First, listen to conscience well, that whatever it saith to thee from God thou maist do it. This was the course [Page 131] of the Psalmist; I will hearken what the Lord God will say in me (so some tran­slate it.) Heare then and listen what the Lord God will say in thee, what thy conscience illightened saith in thee, and do it.

Secondly, whenever this conscience is quick follow it. Nothing more sear­eth conscience then suffering quickne­ings to die. Blow the coles if they do but smoke. As the Apostle saith, quench not the Spirit; so quench not consci­ence.

I have hitherto shewed you that every man hath a conscience, and the 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.

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 heart­whole (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; [Page 138] 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 i [...] 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 th [...] difference between the holy and the pro­fane. Now the question is this, Where in lieth the difference between the qui [...] conscience of the righteous and th [...] quiet conscience of the wicked? Answ The difference between them lieth i [...] foure things: 1. In the thing it self 2. In the cause; 3. In the effect; 4. I [...] the continuance.

I. In the thing it self. The quiet con­science in the godly is double; not onely apparentiall and nominall but rea [...] and substantiall: It is quiet and qui [...] too, Isai. 57.19. peace and peace too: I create t [...] fruit of the lips, peace, peace. Mar [...] peace and peace too; peace in appearance and peace in truth and substance also But the peace and quiet of conscienc [...] [Page 139] which the wicked have is not such peace: It is peace and no peace; peace [...]n appearance, but no peace in truth. Their god is the god of this world, [...]nd he perswadeth them they have peace: But my God, saith the prophet, [...]peaketh otherwise; vers. 21. There is no peace to [...]he wicked, saith my God. They talk of a good conscience sometimes, and boast they have a good conscience; but the [...]ruth is, they cannot have true peace within: for, saith the prophet, the wick­ [...]d is like the troubled sea which cannot [...]est, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. So doth a wicked mans conscience se­ [...]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 [...]rom one cause, and the quiet of a bad [...]onscience ariseth from another.

1. The quiet of a good conscience [...]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 [Page 140] ignorance: When men know not Go [...] nor his holy word, which should bin [...] conscience, they fear nothing becaus [...] they see nothing; they know not th [...] danger of sinne: Like a blind ma [...] standing before the mouth of a can­non, he feareth no danger because h [...] seeth none: so carnall men fear not be­cause they know not what cause the [...] have to fear. Their very prayers th [...] they make are an abomination to Go [...] and they know it not: their good duties they do are all like cockatrices eg [...] and they know it not; they know no [...] that they are in the bond of iniquitie, i [...] the snare of the devil. Their conscience [...] are quiet because they know not wha [...] cause they have to be otherwise. Thi [...] is one difference; The quiet and peac [...] of a good conscience ariseth from ligh [...] and from knowledge; the quiet an [...] peace of an evil conscience, from darknesse and ignorance.

Heb. 10.22.2. The quiet of a good conscienc [...] ariseth from a due examination of ou [...] selves by the word, and purging of ou [...] consciences. Conscience never can be [...] [Page 141] good without purging and sprinkling; [...]o nor without a due examination: the [...]uiet of a good conscience ariseth from [...]is. Whereas the quiet of a wicked [...]ans conscience ariseth from want of [...]is: He never examineth his consci­ [...]ce, but letteth it sleep till God awake [...] with horrour. I say, a wicked mans [...]onscience sleepeth, and that maketh it [...]uiet, and he is not troubled nor mo­ [...]sted with it. Like a baillif or sergeant [...]llen asleep by the way; the desperate [...]btour whom he lieth in wait for may [...]sse by him then, and find him very [...]iet, and not to offer to arrest him: [...]r like a curst dog fallen asleep; a [...]anger may passe by him then and not [...] meddled with: Such like is this quiet [...]il conscience.

3. The quiet of a good conscience [...]iseth from a good ground, from the [...]ork of Gods Spirit, from true saving [...]ace, from righteousnesse. Rom. 14.17. [...]e reade of righteousnesse and peace: [...]rue peace of conscience ariseth from [...]ghteousnesse: Whereas the false peace [...]f the wicked ariseth onely from vain [Page 142] hopes and conceits; They are not guil [...] of such and such great sinnes; or, Th [...] are not so bad as some others: As the Ph [...] risee's conscience was quiet; why [...] God, I thank thee, I am not as other m [...] are, no drunkard, extortioner, nor li [...] this publicane. Or perhaps from thi [...] ground their peace ariseth; The Lor [...] is very mercifull; and, The Lord Jes [...] died for sinners. Or perhaps this i [...] their plea, They are good comers to churc [...] They have prayers in their families; Th [...] have been professours of Christ Jesus [...] many yeares: From hence they drea [...] of peace upon false grounds, when [...] the way of peace they have not know [...] When conscience shall be awaked, the [...] it will tell them how they have by fla­tery deceived their own souls, and tha [...] having no true righteousnesse they could have no true peace.

4. The quiet of a good conscienc [...] ariseth from tendernesse and from life▪ Therefore the Apostle joyneth together life and peace, Rom. 8.6. Tru [...] peace of conscience ariseth from life [...] whereas the quiet of a wicked con­science [Page 143] ariseth from searednesse and be­ [...]mbednesse and deadnesse, when men [...]eing past feeling of sinne are not trou­ [...]ed at the committing of it. Thus ye [...]e the second thing wherein the diffe­ [...]nce lieth, namely in the cause.

III. They differ in the effect. First, [...]he effect of the quiet of a good con­ [...]cience is comfort and rejoycing: Rom. 5.1. Be­ [...]g justified by faith, we have peace with [...]od through our Lord Jesus Christ. What followeth? By whom we have ac­ [...]sse by faith, rejoycing, &c. Mark; The [...]eace of conscience bringeth forth re­ [...]ycing. And so in other places peace [...]nd joy are joyned together. Rom. 15.13. Gal. 5.22. But the [...]vil conscience, though quiet, wanteth his rejoycing. If carnall men had no [...]ore mirth then what the quiet and [...]eace of their consciences doth help [...]hem to, they would not be so merrie [...]s most of them be. Secondly, Ano­ [...]her effect of true peace of conscience [...], It sanctifieth the soul, it purgeth the [...]eart, purifieth the life, and reformeth [...]he whole man. It is the instrument whereby God sanctifieth his people [Page] 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 lose our minds in the things of this life, but this peace [Page 145] doth keep them upon God; we should lose our hearts upon our profits and pleasures and affairs in the world, but the peace of conscience doth keep them upon heaven: Phil. 4.7. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds. This doth the peace and quiet of a good consci­ence: but the quiet of a wicked mans conscience doth not do thus; it keep­eth not his mind in this manner, but it is upon earthly things for all that.

IV. They differ in respect of dura­tion and continuauce. The quiet of a good conscience is settled and ground­ed in the godly; it never faileth them nor forsaketh them: the other peace is fading. Let a feeling sermon come and rifle carnall men, it taketh away their peace from them; their consciences then flie in their faces, and then they see they are not right: Let losse of out­ward things come & light upon them, or any other affliction, it taketh their peace from them; conscience then break­eth out upon them and sheweth them how they have deceived them selves [Page 146] with false peace, especially at their death, then an evil conscience (that hath been quiet before) in stead of comforting will affright and amaze them. But if we have the quiet of a good conscience, it will make us heare the word with comfort, and not be troubled and disquieted by a searching sermon or the threatnings of Gods judgements: Nay, if we be in trouble, this will quiet us; if in affliction, this will comfort us: It will endure all ou [...] life, and be present at our death; then especially it will shew it self a friend unto us, in standing by us to chear and refresh us. Psal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offe [...] them, saith David: nothing shall offend them or take away their peace: it is an [...] eternall and everlasting peace. Th [...] you have seen how the true and false peace of conscience differ.

But here cometh a question to [...] answered, and it is this; Have all God children this peace of conscience? I dare say some of you look for this question, and long to have it answered [Page 147] I answer therefore, No; they have it not alwayes. Job seemed one while not to have it: I have sinned, Job 7.20. saith his conscience: what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men. David seemed one while not to have it: Mine iniqui­ties are gone over my head as a heavie burden; they are too heavie for me, Psal. 38.4. His sinnes lay heavie upon his conscience for a fit. Hezekiah one while seemed not to have it: Behold, for peace I had great bitternesse. And there­fore I say the children of God have it not alwayes. But let me tell you; They might have it alwayes. 1. It is possible they should have it alwayes: Their sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie do not break the peace of their consci­ences: cannot; for if they could, then no man should have true peace of con­science at any time. Nothing but wil­ling and witting sins, sinnes against con­science, can break the peace of consci­ence: & as it is possible for the children of God to live without these, so it is possible for them alwaies to have peace; yea, they may have dayly more and [Page 148] more peace. 2. As it is possible for the children of God alwayes to have peace, so they are commanded to keep their peace alwayes; and it is their own fault if at any time they lose it: Job 22.21. Ac­quaint thy self with God, and be at peace, saith Eliphas. Col. 3.15. So, Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, unto which ye are cal­led. We are not onely commanded to have peace in our hearts, but also that it may rule there, that no corruption perk over it to hinder it: we are called to this peace, and commanded to have it; and therefore as it is a sinne in the common­wealth when one breaketh the peace, so it is a sinne in the spirit to break the peace of conscience: we are all bound to the peace. 3. If the children of God have it not alwayes, then they feel the want of it: and in the want of that comfort nothing else will com­fort them. It is not all the peace and prosperitie of the world that can com­fort their hearts as long as they have not this peace; not all the mirth in the world can content them untill they en­joy this peace again, the peace and [Page 149] quiet of a good conscience: they faint for it, and long after it, they can have no strength without it; Psal. 29.11. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will blesse his people with peace. It is not so with corrupt hearts: they can be without peace, and yet never faint; they can eat and drink for all that, and sleep and be merry for all that, yea and go about their profits and their earthly bu­sinesses as roundly as ever for all that: But the children of God if they want the peace of conscience, they have no strength to do any thing almost, they faint till they have it again. 4. The godly alwayes have the seeds of it in them: Light is sown for the righteous, Psal. 97.11. and gladnesse for the upright in heart. Mark; it is sown in their hearts, and it will spring up at one time or other to chear them and to comfort them. As it is with the wicked; they may seem now and then to have true peace, but they have the seeds of horrour alwayes in them, which will sprout forth at last, and then they shall find the worm of an evil conscience again: so on the [Page 150] contrarie side, the godly may seem now and then to have no peace, but yet they have alwayes the seeds of true peace in them, which will in time shew themselves and solace their souls for ever. 5. They never want peace as the wicked do want it: The wicked want it, and have no possibilitie of having it: they go in such paths as wherein they shall never know peace, Isai. 59.8. such paths as will never lead them unto it: still their conscience is able to say they are not right, they are carnall and not spi­rituall; they know no true peace of conscience, neither can they: But the children of God walk in such wayes as will bring them to true peace of con­science ere they have done.

By this ye see what a good and quiet conscience is. It cannot be but that all must like it, and wish, O that we had it! Beloved, let us labour to get it and the assurance of it. No blessing under hea­ven is like it: It is a heaven upon earth. Happie are they who can shew they have it: and miserable are they who have it not. Dulce nomen pacis, Sweet [Page 151] and pleasant is the very name of peace, especially of the peace of a good con­science: If ye have it, no misery can make you miserable: and if ye have it not, no happinesse can make you happie. It is Christs legacie which he bequeathed to his Church; John 14.27. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. It is glorious and honourable: Beest thou never so mean in the world, thou art glorious if thou hast this peace: beest thou never so despised and disgraced among men, thou hast honour enough if thou hast this peace: Rom. 2.10. To every one that doth good, glory & honour and peace. Mark how it is accompanied; namely, with glory and honour: But shame and confusion and dishonour is upon all them that have it not.

III. Examination, Whether we have a quiet conscience.

COncerning a quiet conscience I pro­pounded three things: 1. What it is; 2. How it differeth from that quiet conscience that is in the wicked; 3. The examination whether we have this [Page 152] quiet conscience yea or no. The two for­mer we have handled already: namely, What a quiet conscience is; and, How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked. Let us passe on now unto the third, namely, to an examination of our selves whether we have a true quiet conscience yea or no.

A quiet good conscience is such a marvellous blessing that it cannot pos­sibly be but we must like it and wish, O that we had it. Let us then examine our selves and see whether we have it or no. Many have peace and quietnesse (as hath been shewed alreadie) arising from false grounds: they have peace of conscience because they know not what belongeth to trouble of consci­ence; or if they know that a little (as some of the wicked do) yet they do not consider that sorrow which one day will burst in upon them and sink them utterly: Let us trie then our peace by these notes.

I. If the quiet of our consciences be good, it is such as we have carefully sought for at the mercies of God in the [Page 153] bloud of Jesus Christ, when being pinched with the burden of our sinnes we did fly to the promises of God [...]o seek comfort, to the bloud of Christ to find ease and to get assurance [...]f Gods favour. If our peace come not [...]his way, it is naught, and we were bet­ [...]er to be without it then have it. It may be we speak peace to our selves; [...]ut doth the Lord speak peace to our [...]onsciences? Psal. 85.8. I will heare what the Lord [...]ill speak: for he shall speak peace to his [...]ople, and to his saints: but let them not [...]rn again to folly (for that will break [...] their peace.) O go to God then, and [...]eare whether he speaketh peace to [...]our consciences; whether it be God in Christ reconciling the world to himself [...]at speaketh it to you. It is not true [...]eace without we have sought for it at [...]e throne of grace, without it be peace [...] Gods making. Now the Lord speak­ [...]h peace to his people who come to [...]m for peace three wayes. 1. He [...]peaketh peace to them by his word. [...]his speaking is thus; When the word [...]romiseth peace to those who walk by [Page 154] such a rule, and they walk by that rule, then Gods word speaketh peace to their souls. The rule is set down Gal. 6.15. In Christ Jesus neither cir­cumcision availeth any thing nor uncir­cumcision, but a new creature: and the [...] followeth, As many as walk accord­ing to this rule, peace be upon them▪ 2. God speaketh peace to his peopl [...] in their consciences. This speaking i [...] thus; When the conscience can say, [...] am in Christ, I am engraffed into Christ then the Lord speaketh peace by th [...] conscience, 1. Pet. 5.14. peace be with you all that [...] in Christ Jesus: so also when the co [...] science can say, I hunger after righteo [...] nesse, I truly mourn for sinne, I desi [...] in all my wayes to please God. Thirdly God speaketh peace by his Spirit. Th [...] speaking is thus; When the word hat [...] spoken peace by the promise, and wh [...] the conscience speaketh, I am thus a [...] thus qualified, and therefore I have pe [...] then the Spirit of God cometh in a [...] witnesseth, Yea, you say right; peace b [...] longeth unto you indeed, and I say A [...] to it. When the Spirit of God do [...] [Page 155] say thus, then the Lord speaketh peace [...]o the soul. Gal. 5.22. The fruit of the Spirit is [...]ve, joy, peace. Peace is the fruit of [...]e Spirit: it speaketh it to the soul, [...]reedeth it in the soul. Now, beloved, [...]xamine your selves: Is your peace of [...]is stamp? do ye seek it of God and [...]et it in the bloud of Christ Jesus? do [...] get it by the word, and by your true- [...]eaking conscience, and by the holy [...]irit of God? If ye get it on this wise, [...]en it is true peace of conscience in­ [...]ed. If ye get it by your own vain [...]pes and by your good meanings, &c. [...]s peace will not hold alwayes: when [...]ur consciences come to be awaked, [...]ur peace will all vanish away and be [...] more. This is the first note to try [...]d examine your selves by.

II. If our quiet and peace of con­ [...]ence be good, it is accompanied [...]th such a life as is agreeable to the [...]ll of God: it avoydeth sinne, as the [...]ng that disturbeth the peace. How [...]n any man have true peace of consci­ [...]ce when his life doth not please God [...]t provoketh his wrath against him? It [Page 156] cannot be that he should have tru [...] peace who in his heart doth regar [...] sinne: There is no peace to the wicke [...] saith my God. No, where ever tru [...] peace of conscience doth inhabit, [...] dwelleth with godlinesse of life and unblameablenesse of conversation; as th [...] Apostle Peter joyneth them togethe [...] 2. Pet. 3.14. Wherefore, beloved, seen [...] ye look for such things, be diligent th [...] ye may be found of him in peace witho [...] spot and blamelesse. Mark the words In peace, without spot and blamelesse. [...] ever we would be found in true peac [...] we must live without spot and blamelesse. A wicked mans conscience ma [...] seem to have peace, and tell him he ha [...] served God; Prov. 7.14. This day I have paid [...] vowes, saith the conscience of the who [...] but this is a rotten and deceitfull peac [...] ▪ True peace of conscience is ever acco [...] panied with such a kind of life as is [...] greeable to the will of God in his wo [...] ▪

III. If our peace be good, it w [...] make us endure to heare any point [...] Gods word with joy and delight. [...] wicked heart can heare points of merc [...] [Page 157] and comfort with joy: so long his peace [...]steth: Every man that calleth upon the [...]ame of the Lord shall be saved; If we con­ [...]sse our sins, God is just to forgive us our [...]ns; If any man sin, we have an Advocate [...]ith the Father, Jesus Christ the righte­ [...]s; Whoever shall confesse that Jesus [...] the Sonne of God, God dwelleth in him [...]d he in God: Such points as these a [...]icked heart can reade with delight [...]hough if they were truly opened and [...]pounded they would yield him cold [...]mfort, yet he can heare them with [...]light in the lump:) But if a search­ [...]g point or some terrible point co­ [...]eth, he is afraid to heare that. Ahab [...]d a quiet conscience but onely when [...]icaiah did preach: Felix had a qui­ [...]conscience no doubt; yet he trem­ [...]d to heare Paul preach of death and [...] judgement, Acts 24.25. One would we thought that Paul (a prisoner) [...]ould rather have been afraid: but [...]ul had true peace of conscience, and [...]erefore he could think and speak of [...]ath with great comfort, and of judge­ [...]ent with joy: So could not Felix. [Page 158] Beloved, this is a strong signe of a sa [...] peace, when some points of Gods wo [...] lay us flat and bereave us of our hol [...] ▪ Ye shall have many say, O they ha [...] such peace, and they have such a good co [...] science, as quiet as can be, and as hea [...] whole as can be: By and by a sou [...] searching point cometh and ransacke [...] them to the quick, and they are go [...] I confesse they go and get some unte [...] pered morter or other, and dawb [...] their consciences again; but they [...] gone for the time. This is a stro [...] signe of a rotten peace. But a child [...] God can heare any point, heare [...] death, of judgement, of any thing co [...] teined in the word, with delight a [...] comfort. It is true, he may be a [...] zed thereat: but he is glad at heart t [...] he heareth it, and will make use of [...] be it mercy or judgement. Sweet [...] bitter points all are welcome to hi [...] even the bitterest points are sweet [...] him, because God and he are at peace [...] and therefore he knoweth there is [...] news from God but it is good.

IV. If our peace of conscience [...] [Page 159] good, it will heal that base fearfulnesse [...]hich is in many: who dare not be in [...]e dark, dare not go through a [...]urch-yard in the night. Some will [...]ake at the very shaking of a leaf, as [...]e wicked in Job: Job 15.21. which is nothing [...]t a guiltie conscience. I grant this [...]rfulnesse is naturall to some: yet I [...] the true peace of conscience will [...]re it. I do not say this is a recipro­ [...]ll signe of true peace of conscience; [...]r many wicked men may be bold [...]ough: but I say true peace of con­ [...]ence will cure this immoderate fear­ [...]nesse in the godly.

But here two questions are to be ask­ [...]. I. Whether every true child of [...]od that hath true peace of conscience [...]n think of death with comfort and [...] desirous to die.

Answ. 1. Peace of conscience doth [...]t take away naturall fear. It is the [...]ture of every living creature to be ve­ [...] fearfull of death. The Philosopher [...]lleth death [...], the fear­ [...]llest thing of all fearfull things. Bildad [...]lleth it the king of terrours. Job 18.14. Nature lo­veth [Page 160] its own preservation; and therefor [...] feareth the destruction of it. Peace o [...] conscience doth not take away all th [...] fear. 2. Besides, peace of conscien [...] doth not take away alwayes all degre [...] of slavish fear of death. The reason i [...] because peace of conscience may [...] weak, mixed with much troubles [...] conscience. For as faith may be ve [...] imperfect, so peace of conscience m [...] be in some very imperfect. Good o [...] Hilarion was very fearfull to die: H [...] cried out to his soul when he lay on h [...] death-bed, O my soul, hast thou serv [...] Christ these fourescore years, and art th [...] now afraid to die? Again, a mans lo [...] may be very imperfect. 1. John 4.18. Perfect love i [...] deed casteth out fear; but imperfe [...] love doth not. Hezekiah had pea [...] of conscience: Remember Lord, saith [...] I have walked before thee in truth, 2. Kings 20.3. [...] with a perfect heart. Mark; He had t [...] peace of a good conscience; his co [...] science told him he had a sincere hea [...] and that his wayes pleased God: y [...] he was afraid to die: I do not think [...] was onely because he had no issu [...] [Page 161] though that might be some reason of it. [...]. When a child of God is afraid to [...]ie, it is not so much for love of this [...]ife as out of a desire to be better prepa­ [...]ed. This made David cry out, O [...]pare me, that I may recover strength, Psal. 39.13. be­ [...]ore I go hence and be no more. And so [...]ob; Let me alone, Job 10.20, 21. that I may take com­ [...]ort a little, before I go whence I shall not [...]eturn. These good men were then [...]omething unwilling to die: They [...]ight have many reasons; most likely [...]is was one, That they might be bet­ [...]er prepared, and more fit and ready for [...]eir departure. 4. Some of Gods [...]eople; as these, Job and David, at [...]ther times; I say, some of Gods peo­ [...]e have such marvellous peace with [...]od as that if it were Gods will they [...]ad much rather die then live; Phil. 1.23. I desire [...] be dissolved, saith Paul, and to be with [...]hrist; which is farre better. It may be [...] regard of the church, or the care of [...]eir children and charge God hath laid [...]n them, they could be content to re­ [...]ain still in the body: neverthelesse, [...]hey account their state after death [Page] much better; and, were it put to them whether to die or to live longer here, they would choose death rather of the twain. 1. Kings 19.4. Nay, Elias requested for himsel [...] that he might die: It is enough, Lord [...] take away my life. Not that they lov [...] death it self; for death is evil in its ow [...] nature, contrary to nature, a badge o [...] sinne: but for the love they have to an [...] the assurance they have of eternall lif [...] after death. 5. Nay there is no chil [...] of God but may truly be said to lov [...] death, and to love the day of judge­ment and the appearing of Christ Jesus Divines use to put this as a signe of God [...] children: Nay, the Apostle maketh thi [...] as a propertie of Gods children; to lov [...] Christs appearing: I have fought a goo [...] fight, saith Paul, I have finished m [...] course: There he telleth us of his ow [...] peace; and then he telleth us of his re­ward: 2. Tim. 4.8. From henceforth is laid up for [...] a crown of righteousnesse, which the Lor [...] the righteous Judge shall give me in th [...] day; and not to me onely, but to them al­so that love his appearing: that is, to al [...] his children: For all the children o [...] [Page 163] God love the appearing of Jesus Christ to judgement. Though all do not de­sire it with the same strength of faith, [...]et all desire it with faith. They be­ [...]ieve that Christ hath destroyed him that [...]ath the power of death, Heb. 2.14. which is the de­ [...]il; they believe Christ hath taken [...]way deaths sting, which is sinne, 1. Cor. 15.56, 57. and [...] allowed death up in victory; and may [...]l say, Thanks be unto God who hath gi­ [...]en us victory through our Lord Jesus [...]hrist. Neither do they so much que­ [...]on this as their faith to believe it; [...]ying, Lord, help our unbelief. 6. Gods [...]ildren have good reason to do so, [...]d to check their own hearts when­ [...]er they do otherwise. Whenever any [...]strust cometh, they should check it [...]wn again: whenever any fear ari­ [...]h, they should say, What? I fear [...]th? which is a thing so precious? Psal. 116.15. Pre­ [...]us in the sight of the Lord is the death [...]his Saints. Is death precious, and shall I [...]so vain as to fear it? Thus ye see [...] answer to the first question, Whe­ [...]er every child of God that hath true [...]ace of conscience can be desirous to [...]e.

II. Quest. Whether a wicked man that hath no peace of conscience may not be desirous to die too? Answ. 1. The horrour of conscience man make a wicked man desirous to die. H [...] may have so much horrour of conscience as that he may think certainly he [...] cannot be worse: (Hell is infinitel [...] worse; but he may not think so.) Th [...] Judas was desirous to die, Matth. 27.5. when he we [...] and hanged himself: Thus many in d [...] spair do make away themselves. I co [...] fesse some in despair may be fearfu [...] to die: as Cain was fearfull to die; [...] was fear of death made him spea [...] thus unto God, It shall come to passe th [...] every one that findeth me shall slay m [...] Gen. 4.14. The reason was, becaus [...] though he were in despair, yet he w [...] not so sensible of his horrour as Jud [...] was: for Cain could go and build [...] all this, and train up his children [...] musick and the like for all this; b [...] Judas was in a case more sensible of h [...] misery. 2. Dolour of pain may ma [...] a wicked man desire to die. Thus [...] was with Saul: Saul had received b [...] [Page 165] deaths wound, and was in most grie­ [...]ous pain: he could not die presently, [...]either could he live; but lying in very [...]reat pain between both, desired the Amalekite to stand upon him and slay [...]im, 2. Sam. 10.9. (though Osiander [...]hink the Amalekite lyed unto David [...]o curry favour with him; but Jose­ [...]hus and others think he spake the [...]ruth.) Sure it is, that many wicked [...]retches, having no peace of consci­ [...]nce to sweeten and allay their tor­ [...]ents, have been desirous to die: nay, [...]ome have hastened their own death. [...]. Malecontentednesse, and shame, and [...]isappointment of their aims may also [...]ake wicked men desirous to die, and, [...] death come not soon enough of it [...]elf, to dispatch away themselves with [...]ruel self-murder. Thus it was with A­ [...]hitophel: 2. Sam. 17 23. when he saw his counsel was was not followed he haltered himself: He had no peace of conscience to com­ [...]ort him against all his dumps and dis­ [...]ontents; and therefore he was desi­ [...]ous to die. 4. Wicked men, being [...]exed at something for the present, [Page] may seem to be desirous to die; and ye [...] if death should come indeed, they would be of another mind, and be con­tent death should be further off. Nay▪ Jonas (that strange man of a good man [...] O for a fit he would be dying, yea tha [...] he would; Jon. 4.3. Lord, take my life from me [...] for it is better for me to die then to live. [...] suppose if God had taken him at hi [...] word, he could have wished his word [...] had been in again. But thus it is ofte [...] in the mouthes of wicked people; [...] would I were dead; and, I would I were o [...] of the world: not for any peace of conscience they have, nor for any desire o [...] death, but onely for a momentany pang [...] If they were to die indeed, they would be loth enough to it. Like the man i [...] the Fable: who being wearied with his burden of sticks, lay down and cal­led for Death; but when Death came indeed to take him, and said, What shal [...] I do, man? thou calledst me: I pray thee, said he, help me up with my burden of sticks. When he was to die indeed, then he would rather have his own weari­some burden. It is but a fable; but this [Page 167] is the fashion of many. 5. When wic­ked men are desirous to die indeed [...]ometimes not out of discontent or [...]ny such like reason, yet it cannot be out of any true peace of conscience: They may go away like lambs, as we [...]ay; but it is in a fools paradise. It may be whilest they lived they thought [...]o go to heaven; but when they die, then [...]ll their thoughts perish, as the Psalmist [...]peaketh in another case.

To return therefore where we left; O beloved, is there any of you that want the peace of a good conscience? [...]nd do ye know what you want? what [...] great benefit and blessing? That ye may see this, and fully know it, and by [...]nowing it earnestly desire it, con­ [...]ider

First, That it is the very head of all [...]omforts. A worthie Divine calleth it Abrahams bosome to the soul: Ye know what a blessing it was unto Lazarus to be taken from his sores into Abrahams bosome: The peace of a good consci­ence is like this bosome of Abraham: Who would not gladly lie in it? Such [Page 168] a man who hath it can never look up­on another mans comfort, but a good conscience will say, Yea, and I have my comfort too. When Paul was commend­ing of Timothie, see how his own con­science spake of himself at the same time: 1. Cor. 16.10. He worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. Mark; his conscience would be putting in comfort for him­self: Doth Timothie work the Lords work? yea, and so do I too, saith his con­science: It is Musculus his observation upon the place.

Secondly, A quiet conscience ma­keth a man to tast the sweetnesse o [...] things heavenly and spirituall: It ma­keth the word to be to him, as to Da­vid, Sweeter then hony, yea then the ho­ny-combe: I have not departed from thy judgements, O Lord, saith he (thus saith his conscience:) now what followeth next? Psal. 119.103. How sweet are thy words unto my tast! yea, sweeter then hony unto my mouth. A good conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in prayer, when his conscience telleth him he prayeth aright: It maketh him tast sweetnesse [Page 169] in a Sabbath, when his conscience tel­leth him he sanctifieth it aright: so al­so in the sacrament, when his consci­ence can witnesse he receiveth aright. What is the reason so few of you tast sweetnesse in these things? The reason is this; Because ye have not the peace of a good conscience: It would find sweetnesse in every good dutie, in eve­ry good word and work.

Thirdly, A good quiet conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in all out­ward things, in meat, in drink, in sleep, in the companie of friends: it putteth a Better upon a very morsel, Prov. 17.1. Brown bread and a good conscience, there is a Better upon it then upon all the costly fare of the wealthie without it. Bernard calleth a good conscience a soft pillow: An other calleth it a dear bosome-friend: Solomon calleth it a con­tinuall feast. It maketh a man tast sweet­nesse in every outward thing. The healthy man onely can take pleasure in recreations, walks, meats, sports, and the like: they yield no comfort to those that are bedrid or sick, or half-dead: [Page 170] But when the conscience is at peace, the soul is all in good health; and so all things are enjoyed with sweetnesse and comfort.

Fourthly, It sweetneth evils to a man, as troubles, crosses, sorrows, af­flictions. If a man have true peace in his conscience, it comforteth him in them all. When things abroad do dis­quiet us, how comfortable is it to have something at home to chear us? so when troubles and afflictions without turmoil and vex us and adde sorrow to sorrow, then to have peace within, the peace of conscience, to allay all and quiet all, what a happinesse is this? When sicknesse and death cometh, what will a good conscience be worth then? Sure more then all the world be­sides. If one had all the world, he would then give it for a peaceable con­science. Nay, what think ye of judge­ment and the tribunal of Christ? Do but think what a good conscience will be worth then? When Paul was ac­cused and hardly thought of by some of the Corinthians, this was his com­fort; [Page 171] I know nothing by my self, 1. Cor. 4.3, 4. saith his conscience: I count it a very small thing to be judged of you. Nay, he goeth fur­ther: His conscience telleth him he hath the Lord Jesus (who justifieth him) to judge him; he hath a sweeter Judge then his own conscience, even his Savi­our, to judge him. O there is no cre­ated comfort in the world like the comfort of a peaceable conscience. The heathen Menander could say, [...], Conscience is a little pettie god. We may not give it such a big title: but this is most certain; The conscience is Gods echo of peace to the soul: in life, in death, in judgement it is unspeakable comfort.

Is there any then that want this? Exhor­tation. Let them above all things labour to get it: It is more worth then all things else. Whatever we neglect, let us not neg­lect this. It is safer to neglect bodie, health, means, maintenance, friends, and all that ever we have in the world then to neglect this. The more we have the worse it is for us, if we have not this. Had we all this worlds good, it [Page 172] is like a stone in a serpents head or a toads head, or a pearl in an oyster, not our perfection but our disease.

Again, you who have a peaceable conscience, 1. Labour to maintein it. Be often in communion with God, be not strangers to him the light of whose countenance is the peace of your souls. It is the walking with God that breedeth true peace and preserveth it. It is said of Levi, Mal. 2.6. that he walked with God in peace. O let us stirre up our selves to walk close with God, that so we may have peace: No sweet peace but in so doing. 2. We must take heed we do not trouble nor disquiet it, that we do not resist it, or offer violence unto it by committing sinne against the peace of it, but endeavour to maintein the peace of it by obeying the voyce of it. Get the fear of God, which is wisdome; and to depart from evil, which is true understanding: All her paths are peace, Prov. 3.17. We cannot walk in any one path of true wisedome but we shall find in it peace: There is peace in hu­militie, and peace in charity, and peace [Page 173] in godlinesse, and peace in obedience, &c. Break any of these things, and ye break the peace. Ye heare what an admirable thing the peace of consci­ence is: O then, if ye have it, make much of it: nay, if ye have it, ye will for certain make much of it. The very having of it will teach you the worth of it, and learn you to prise it, and make you above all things unwilling to leave it. And thus much of the first, viz. a quiet conscience.

The degrees of a troubled conscience.

II. THe next thing I promised to shew is the degrees of a troubled conscience. A troubled conscience hath divers degrees: For some conscience are more troubled then other some. 1. The first degree is such a degree as may be in Gods children: and this ari­seth not so much from the apprehensi­on of Gods wrath as from the guilt of sinne: Their consciences grieve an [...] are troubled to think that they have sin­ned and offended the Lord God. Thu [...] we see David could not be at quiet: Al­though Nathan had told him from Go [...] that his sinne was forgiven, yet his con­science still troubled him: Psal. 51.4. Against the onely have I sinned, and done this evil i [...] thy sight; saith he. I grant the conscien­ces of Gods children are troubled a [...] the apprehension of Gods anger; but then it is his fatherly anger, not the an­ger of an enemy. Though for a s [...] they may seem to apprehend that too, [Page 179] yet mostly it is for that they have pro­voked their loving Father to anger a­gainst them. A father may be angry with his child out of love; and so the Lord may be with his dear children. The Lord was angry with me too, saith Moses, Deut. 1.37. O let not my Lord be angry, saith Abraham the father of the faithfull. O God of hosts, Psal. 80.4. how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth, saith the Psalmist. Sometimes [...]he Lord is angry with the prayers of his people; but it is in love, because he would have them pray better, and obey better, and look to their standing [...]etter. Now the consciences of Gods [...]eople are very much troubled when [...]he Lord is thus angry with them.

2. The second degree of trouble of [...]onscience is such as is in the wicked, [...]nd yet not altogether without hope. The conscience is troubled, but yet so [...]s it conceiveth hope: God is merci­ [...]ull; and, Christ died for poore sinners, [...]c. Thus many a wicked man is trou­ [...]led and affrighted in conscience, not [...]or sinne, but for the wrath of God [Page] against it; yet he conceiveth for the present that the sinne is pardonable and may be forgiven: Christ may forgive; God may pardon. It is indeed but a poore ground of hope & comfort upon possibilities: but yet this lightneth the trouble in the mean time, and it may be within a while shaketh it quite off: Like the wicked Jews Isa. 57.10. who were worried and wearied most grievously; yet they said not, There is no hope. There may be much horrour and disquiet in these consciences for a time: but there is a higher degree yet, a worse troubled conscience then this.

3. The third degree of a troubled conscience is, when it is for the present altogether hopelesse; such a conscience as is swallowed up in despair: when men thinking of their manifold sinnes, of the direfull wrath of God, of the dreadfull torments of hell for ever [...] their consciences make them despair of all hope or possibilitie of avoyding this bringing such thoughts as these, Wha [...] a deal of time have I spent in sinne wherein I might have made my peace with God an [...] [Page 181] have prevented all this? What a great and omnipotent God have I offended? What an infinite Judge have I provoked, who is able to revenge himself on me, and who will be my foe to eternitie? conscience also bringing in thoughts of the tor­ments and unsufferable pains to be en­dured in hell, and such swallow up in despair without all hope for the present or the future. Like the wicked man which Eliphaz speaketh of, Despera­tio est ho­micida a­nimae, Aug. He believeth not that he shall return out of darknesse, Job 15.22. So these have no hope of escaping, expect to perish as Spira; O, saith he, I envy Cain and Judas: I vvould I vvere in their cases: They are damned; but I shall be vvorse for evermore. Now though to these all hopes be gone for the present, yet some of these troubled consciences scramble up again with vain hopes, and some do not. Cain got [...]p again, it should seem: but Judas did not. Those that never get up again, ei­ [...]her 1. they live in intolerable hor­rour and vexation of spirit, Desperare est in in­fernum descende­re, Isid. as if they had a devil in them to put them to an­guish, and often (being weary of their [Page 182] lives) do make away themselves, and so leap quick into hell: or else 2. they runne desperately into all abominable courses: Their consciences telling them there is nothing to be expected but damnation, they give themselves desperately to commit sinne with gree­dinesse, saying with them in Jeremie, There is no hope; therefore we will wall after our owne devises. Jer. 18.12. Or else 3. they grow senselesse of it. They see they are wrong, but they are not sensible of it. It may be they pray and reade and heare; but their consciences secretly whisper, All is to no purpose. Consci­ence eateth and eateth like a worm, and they pine away in their iniquities, Ezek. 4.23. as th [...] prophet speaketh. A kind of sorro [...] they have, but they cannot mourn; [...] kind of sad dolour, but they canno [...] weep: Ye shall not mone nor weep, b [...] pine away in your sinnes, saith the text I confesse there be more presumers i [...] the world, who promise themselves that all shall be well with them: but yet there be despairers too, and very many, whose consciences are troubled [Page 183] with secret despair; though it may be not apparently to others.

Now the causes of these despairing consciences are these. 1. The great­nesse of sinne; when the heart thinketh secretly thus, Certainly the Lord cannot find in his heart to forgive me. As it was with Cain: When he had lived in earthly-mindednesse, and then in for­mality, and then in discontent and in hatred, and then in hardnesse of heart, the Lord rebuked him, and yet his heart was so hard that still he went on in evil; then he murdered his brother; and last­ly he despaireth; Gen. 4.13. My sinnes are great­er, saith his conscience, then can be for­given. He thought God could not find in his heart to forgive him. So when men sinne and sinne, and the Lord doth rebuke them, and yet they do sinne, and their consciences do check them, and yet they go on, at last they come to have secret despairs in their heart, that God now will not look towards them; whereas if yet they had a mind to stoop to Jesus Christ, they might be forgi­ven. 2. A second cause of despairing [Page 184] is multitude of temptations. Indeed the godly should not be so apt to think themselves forsaken of God by reason of temptations as sometimes they are; they should rather count it joy, as James speaketh, chap. 1.2. But yet many of the wicked despair finally by this means: Because they do so often fall into temptations, therefore they con­clude they are forsaken of God. 3. Ig­norance of Gods word. When the guiltinesse of sin meeteth with minds not instructed in the doctrine of free grace and reconciliation by Christ, this is a cause of despair. 4. So also in­ured custome of sinning is another cause. When men are often quickned, and grow dead again; then quickned again for a fit, and then hardned again: in the end they fall to despair. These and the like are the causes of despairing consciences. And thus I have shewed also the second thing propounded to be handled, namely, the sundry degrees of troubled consciences.

III. The third thing is the difference between the troubled conscience in the [Page 185] godly and in the wicked. The consci­ences of Gods children may be trou­bled, and are many times; and the con­sciences of the wicked they are trou­bled too: now the question is, How do they differ? I answer,

1. That trouble in the conscience of wicked men is accompanied with im­penitency, and sometimes with blas­phemy: I would I were able to resist God, saith Francis Spira: like those in the Revelation who blasphemed God because of their torments. Sometimes it is ac­companied with cursings, as Isai 8.21. sometimes with infinite murmuring. But in Gods children it is not so: When their conscience is troubled, they ju­stifie God, and clear God, and give him the glory of all, and submit under his hand, and subdue their hearts unto him: as David in his trouble did not fret and murmure against God, but saith he, If God have no pleasure in me, lo, 2. Sam. 15.26. here I am: let him do with me what seemeth him good. So that the trouble of conscience in the children of God and in the wic­ked doth much differ in this first respect

2. The trouble of conscience in the wicked ariseth onely from the appre­hension of Gods wrath and fear of judgement for sinne, not for the sinne it self and from the love of holinesse: But that in Gods children ariseth chief­ly for sinne, and the want of the appre­hension of Gods love unto them: How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? Psal. 13.1. Mark whence the trouble of the Psalmist came: This was his trouble, that God did hide his face.

3. Trouble of conscience in the wic­ked never maketh them part with sinne, never breedeth a hatred of sin in them; but that in Gods children doth. True it is that a wicked mans troubled con­science may make him vomit up his sin, like a dog that vomiteth up his trouble­some meat: but he doth not vomit up his stomach to that meat; for when the trouble is over he returneth to his vo­mit again. So a carnall man returneth to his deadnesse of heart again, and to his securitie again, when the trouble is over. Pharaoh, whilest his conscience [Page 187] was troubled at the sense of Gods judgements, O then saith he, I have sinned: I pray, Moses, let me have your prayers; and I will let you go. If the children of Israel could have packed up and departed while this trouble had lasted, they might have been gone. But when he saw there was respite, Exod. 8.15 he hardned his heart again. Mark; His trouble of conscience did not make him part with his sinne: But that in Gods children doth.

4. That in the wicked driveth them from God: They have little heart to come unto him: They see nothing but wrath; and they rather go about to seek ease in other things then to seek his favour: as Saul sought ease in mu­sick, and Cain in building castles and cities, and Judas in a desperate course. Their trouble fetcheth them not to God. But the trouble in Gods children worketh otherwise: In the midst of trouble of conscience they rest upon God: as Heman crieth, Psal. 88.1. O Lord God of my salvation, in the midst of the trou­bles of his soul. The eyes of Gods [Page 188] children are still towards heaven; they think still they should have some help from God: They pray and cry, and though God seemeth to neglect them, yet they cannot give over: They will not be beaten off from waiting on God when he will speak comfort to them.

5. That trouble that is in the wicked maketh their heart sullen: but that in the godly melteth their heart: My soul is like melting wax, saith David in his troubles of conscience. His soul melt­ed before God, and was even poured out before him, Psal. 22.13. This is a kindly working. Thus ye see the diffe­rence.

I. Question; How a man may keep peace of conscience.

I begin with the first: Suppose a man have peace of conscience, what must he do to keep and maintein it? I answer,

First, We must labour to prevent troubles of conscience by taking heed that we do nothing contrarie to consci­ence. We must not be drawn by friend­ship, or credit, or the love of any lust, to do that which conscience forbiddeth. Nothing should be so dear unto us as the peace of conscience: nothing for the love of it should make us do ought against our conscience. How miserable [Page 201] are those comforts, delights, satisfacti­ons which we get to our selves in such courses as our own hearts do condemn! However they seem comforts for a while, and contentments for a while, and delights for a while, yet at last it will appear that miserable comforts are they all. Nothing that we get in any evil way will chear and comfort us in a time of need. What said Francis Spira at the time of his death, when seeing his wife and children about him, and thinking on the goods and estate which he had got for them by deny­ing the truth which he had before mainteined against the Romish errours, he cried out in the horrour of his con­science, How terrible is the sight of these unto me! However before they had been comforts to him, yet now he could not endure the sight of them. O, thought he, I recanted for your sake; I yielded to superstition, and it was long of you: Therefore he abhorred now the sight of them. Wretched is he that al­loweth himself in any course which his conscience findeth fault with. It is a [Page 202] good rule the Apostle giveth, Rom. 14.22. Blessed is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth: that is, Blessed is he that hath not a condemning conscience, that alloweth not himself in any course wherein his conscience doth condemne him. So that if we have peace of con­science, and desire to maintein it, let us never allow our selves in any course that our conscience may condemne us in. That is the first answer.

Answ. 2 Secondly, If we will maintein our peace, we must labour to have our hearts grounded in the assurance of the love of God: alas, it will fail us else, and leave us in trouble and per­plexitie in time of greatest need. Observe how the Apostle joyneth love and peace together, 2. Cor. 13.11. The God of love and peace be with you. If he be the God of love to us, it is sure enough he will be the God of peace also: If we know once that God loveth us, then we may set our hearts at rest: As long as we doubt of his love our conscience can never have true peace: And therefore if we would maintein [Page 203] true peace of conscience let us labour to be assured of Gods love.

Answ. 3 Thirdly, We must use the exercise of faith in applying the bloud of Christ; we must labour to purge and cleanse our consciences with it. If we find that we have sinned, we must runne present­ly to the bloud of Christ to wash away our sinne. We must not let the wound fester or exulcerate, but presently get it healed. As there is a fountain of sinne [...]n us, so there is a fountain of mercie [...]n Christ, Zech. 13.1. set open for Judah and Jeru­salem, and for every poore soul to wash [...]n. As we sinne dayly, so he justifieth dayly, and we must dayly go to him for [...]t: As every day we runne into new debts, so the Lords prayer teacheth us every day to beg forgivenesse: We must every day eye the brazen serpent. Justification is an ever-running foun­tain, and therefore we cannot look to have all the water at once. A fountain ever runneth anew; so justification ever floweth anew, and we must go to it. Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. O let us sue out every [Page 204] day a dayly pardon of course! Let us not sleep one night without a new par­don. Better sleep in a house full of ad­ders and venemous beasts then sleep in one sin. O then be sure with the day to clear the sinnes of the day: Then shall our conscience have true peace. Object. But how if I have relapsed? what shall I do then? Sol. I answer, Every man that falleth doth not fall on all foure, as we use to say; he doth not fall quite: There be degrees of falling. As in a sick man, though he be ill yet he is not by and by dead; some life remaineth still, which will look out towards health again: so there is so much life in justification as to recover thee again. Be constant therefore in this course: Ever go to Christ, ever wash in this fountain, ever bring thy soul hither to be cleansed; and then thy conscience ever shall have peace.

Answ. 4 Fourthly, If we would maintein our peace, then let us labour to be constant in obedience to Jesus Christ. Whosoe­ver keepeth his word, in him verily is the word of God perfected; and hereby know [Page 205] we that we are in him, 1. John 2.5. Mark; Hereby our conscience may tell us that we are right, and speak peace to us, if we keep his word.

II. Question; How the peace of our con­science doth depend upon our care and our obedience.

The reason why I raise this question is this, Because as our justification is onely in Christ, so our peace is onely in him; how then doth the peace of our conscience depend on obedience? The place of scripture that occasioneth the doubt is, 1. Pet. 3.21. The answer of a good conscience towards God by the resur­rection of Jesus Christ. It is by Christ; how dependeth it then on our obedi­ence?

Answ. 1. A good conscience doth not depend upon our obedience as the prin­cipall cause of it, but upon justification which we have by Christ if we be in him: Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Ye see then that our peace is grounded upon our justification as the [Page 206] principall cause of it. If we should seek for peace from our works and obe­dience, alas, they are sinfull and de­fective; there is no peace to be found in them: Our conscience would be troubled at our best duties, at our weak­nesse in prayer, our frailties in hearing, our slips in every holy service: There is nothing we do but our conscience might find fault with it, and pick a hole in it; and therefore we had need to flie unto Christ for true peace. No won­der then that Papists have not true peace, but professedly say that every man must doubt, and no man can be sure of his salvation. They must needs doubt indeed who trust to their own works: which can never bring true peace. The conscience must ever be quarrelling and finding of fault, and be without peace, if we trust to the best works. So that this is the first answer, All true peace dependeth upon justifi­cation by faith in Christ as the princi­pall cause.

Secondly, We answer, That our peace dependeth upon our obedience [Page 207] in this sort, that we can have no peace except we be given to obedience. Those men that can sinne and yet be at peace, were never justified in their lives. A child of God when he sinneth; as for example, if he should be tempt­ed to lie, or to omit a good dutie, which he knoweth he is bound to perform; yet this would much trouble his con­science; his soul would be ashamed, his heart perplexed, he would not know how to look the Lord in the face; I have sinned: what shall I do unto hee, O thou preserver of men? When Da­vid had sinned against God, Psal. 38.6. I am trou­bled, saith he; and I go mourning all the day long. And therefore peace of consci­ence doth depend thus farre on obedi­ence, as that a man cannot have peace [...]nlesse he be obedient, and take heed of sinne, and labour in all things to be up­ [...]ight before God. Now if you ask me, But how doth our peace depend upon our obedience? I answer, Dub. Sol. It dependeth upon obedience as the removing cause: It removeth that which would hinder our peace. Sinne would interrupt our [Page 208] peace: now obedience removeth sinne. To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 1. John 3.18, 19. My little children, let us not love in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth: For hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before God: Hereby we shall assure our consciences that we are in him, if we take heed of hypocrisie: If we love in truth, and be obedient in truth, we shall thereby remove all our doubts and our fears, our troubles and perplexities of conscience. So that peace doth depend on obedience as the removing cause: It removeth that which otherwise would hinder peace. This is the first. Again, our peace of conscience dependeth upon our obedi­ence as the witnessing cause of it. Obe­dience is one of the witnesses of true peace; it witnesseth that we have peace with God. 2. Cor. 1.12. This is our rejoycing, even the testimonie of our conscience, that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie we have had our conversation in the world. See here, it is the witnessing cause of it: Paul had peace of conscience; his con­science [Page 209] was able to make him rejoyce: How? Because it gave testimony that his conversation was godly and simple and gracious. Though we be in Christ, yet we can have no peace unlesse holy obedience doth witnesse the same. O­bedience is not the cause of the peace of our consciences before God, 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, [Page 210] 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 [...] 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 [Page 211] 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 [Page 212] 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 [Page 213] 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, [Page 214] 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 [Page 215] have not a pardon sealed for infir­ [...]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; They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, Jer. 8.11. when there is no peace. And so they do more hurt then good: Like a chirur­gion that skinneth the wound before he giveth searching salves to kill the mat­ter of it: afterwards it breaketh out [Page 216] worse, and it is a hundred to one but it will cost the patient his life: So it is with many men: A man cannot rore a little for his sinnes, I have been a sinner, and what shall I do? I have been a beast, &c. But, O, say they, believe man, Christ died for thee, and the promise is to thee, and God will pardon thee. Thus they heal him slightly with Peace, peace, and it may be there is no peace to him yet; he had need to be searched more deep­ly: they skinne the wound, and it is a thousand to one but it loseth the mans soul, by giving a cordiall where a cor­rosive was necessarie. And therefore great reason that this question should be answered, If a man have a burdened troubled conscience, what must such a man do to be freed from it?

I answer, 1. Let him take heed that he meddle not too much with the se­cret will of God, what his decree and purpose is from eternitie. As soon as an arrow is shot into the conscience, & the conscience cometh to be humbled, com­monly the heart layeth about it, And how if God have reprobated me? and what [Page 217] if he have appointed me to wrath? how then? Beloved, ye must take heed of this: If your hearts fasten upon repro­bation, that will marre all; that will quite discourage a poore soul from go­ing to God.

2. Understand the word right. Do not think that because God hath not in particular named thee, therefore he hath excluded thee. Gods promises are made in generall to all that believe; and they are to be applyed in particular to all them that believe: why then shouldst thou exclude thy self when God doth not exclude thee? Wouldst thou have Christ? Christ to justifie thee? Christ to sanctifie thee? Christ to rule thee? Wouldst thou be under Christs regiment, and live at his will? Come and welcome: no soul is ex­cepted. Whosoever will, Rev. 22.17. let him take of the water of life freely. Ye see there is a Quicunque vult, Whosoever will. In­deed if thou hast not a will to be in Christ; but thou wilt do thus and thus, and thou wilt have thy will, and this lust, and that friend, and such a course, [Page 218] and, Tush, this is too strict; nay, if you be there thou art not for Christ: I have nothing for thee but hell and damnati­on. But if thou wouldst have Christ indeed, and be in Christ indeed, thy heart in Christ, thy will in Christ, thy whole self in Christ; then arise, he cal­leth thee. Thus understand the word right, the gospel doth not exclude thee whosoever thou art.

3. Thou must not for fear of shame or losse, &c. keep from restitution wheresoever thou hast done wrong, or satisfaction wheresoever thou hast co­zened, or reformation wheresoever thou art accustomed to any evil, or the doing any thing that may procure ease and quiet to thy conscience. It may be one is troubled in conscience for his wronging his neighbour in twentie pounds, and if he would make restitu­tion he might have sound peace: but he will not; no, he daubeth up his con­science some other way. Another it may be suffereth disorders in his fami­lie and foul abuses, which if he would redresse he might have peace: but he [Page 219] will not. Another, if he would down with his pride, another, if he would be acquainted with Gods servants, or if he would take any pains in good du­ties, be more diligent for the work of repentance, &c. but these things will not be done: Men plaister up their consciences (I know not how) some other way, and so go to hell for not ta­king the right way. But if any of you be troubled in conscience, keep back nothing, hold back nothing that may make for your true peace and quiet.

4. Thou must wait on God: Cast thy self at his feet, humbly desire him to give thee the true peace of consci­ence. But wait Gods leisure, knowing thou hast deserved to be utterly de­prived of it: and thus doing thou shalt find it to thy great comfort at last. Isai. 30.18. Bles­sed are all they that wait for him; that is, when the Lord will be mercifull. He will do it with judgement, he will do it when it may do thee the most good, when it may bring himself most glorie: therefore it is fit thou shouldst wait for his time of comforting. Now because [Page 220] many do misconstrue this waiting Gods leisure, (As for example, one is dead to all good duties, O, saith he, I wait the Lords leisure till he quicken me: My heart is much hardned, saith another; but I wait the Lords leisure till he be pleased to soften it. Thus men are lazie in the mean while; and yet they think they wait the Lords leisure. O beloved, this is not the waiting the Lord mean­eth; this will not stay conscience; con­science is guiltie for all this waiting) therefore I beseech you consider what waiting I mean. 1. Wait upon the Lord, and keep his way; thou dost not wait else, unlesse thou keep praying, and stri­ving, and meditating, and enquiring, and watching thine own heart lest it should slip aside. 2. Thou must wait as a servant waiteth upon his master: If his master calleth, he cometh; if he sendeth, he goeth; if he beckeneth, he taketh notice: Psal. 123.2. So thou must wait. As servants wait upon their masters, so our eyes wait upon the Lord till he have mer­cie upon us. Be obedient in the mean time: go when he sendeth; come when [Page 221] he calleth; observe when he becken­eth; be diligent to be doing his plea­sure. 3. Thou must wait onely upon God, not upon thy lusts too, and upon other things too; but thou must wait onely upon God: My soul, wait thou onely upon God, saith David, Psal. 62. [...]5. If thou wait upon any thing else, this is not to wait upon God. One waiteth a time to be revenged; ano­ther waiteth a time to satisfie this or that lust: this is not to wait upon God at all. 4. Take heed of healing thy self, and comforting thy self, or daubing up thy conscience thy self: If thou dost so, thou dost not wait upon God to do it: If thou dost it thy self, and snatchest at comfort thy self before he do give it, then thou dost not wait till he give it. Suppose a man hath done thee an injurie; the Lord he will right thee if thou wilt wait: but if thou go and recompense evil for evil, and right thy self, thou dost not wait upon God, as Solomon adviseth, Prov. 20.22. Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he will save thee. Mark; [Page 222] thou must not save thy self, thine own credit, &c. by revenging, but wait on God for all. So here if thy conscience be troubled, thou must wait upon God to comfort it: If thou goest and daub­est up the matter thy self, and criest, Peace, peace, to thy self, thou dost not wait upon God. Thus I have answered the last question, How if a man have a burdened and troubled conscience, what must such a man do to be freed from it? And hitherto we have spoken of the two last adjuncts of conscience, a Quiet conscience, and an Unquiet conscience; What they be, and, How they differ: and we have resolved and answered the questions and difficulties about them.

I. Others may bind our consciences.

I. Others may bind our consciences, namely, when they have authority con­ferred upon them from God, & so their laws and commands receive vigour and [Page 297] force from Gods laws. Thus the laws and commands of Magistrates bind the conscience of People; of Parents bind the conscience of Children; of Masters bind the conscience of Servants: For though they do not bind conscience as they are the commandments of men, yet having Gods seal and authority upon them they do. I will set down some conclusions whereby ye may know how farre the laws and commandments of others bind or not bind conscience.

II. We may bind our own consciences.

II. We our selves may bind our own consciences: And that is by those vows and promises which we make to God of any thing lawfull and in our power. Those vows and promises which we make unto God according to the warrant of his word they do bind our conscience. They are our own be­fore we have made them: as Ananias and Sapphira their gift was their own before they vowed it to the church; While it remained was it not thine own? and when it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Acts 5.4. We need not vow unlesse we will: but after we have vow­ed our vows are Gods bonds, and do bind the conscience to the performance of them. Nay, we lie unto God, as the text saith they did, if we do not stand to the performance of them.

But it may be demanded, What [Page 315] vows are they which are unlawfull, and do not bind conscience? I an­swer;

1. Such as we make of things im­possible and beyond our power: These are unlawfull, and do not bind consci­ence.

2. Such as we make of things un­lawfull; when we vow to do that which is contrarie to Gods law: such as Davids was when he vowed the de­struction of Nabals familie: 1. Sam. 25.22. This doth not bind conscience: nay, we are bound in conscience to break it.

3. Such as though they be of things lawfull and possible, yet we want free­dome in the performance of them: as for a wife or a servant or a child to make a vow, when their relation to such as are over them will not suffer them to perform it: Numb. 30.3. This bindeth not con­science. Nothing bindeth conscience but that which hath Gods seal upon it: but this hath not Gods seal on it; and therefore it doth not bind conscience: indeed it bindeth us in conscience to re­pent of it.

4. Such as though they be lawfull and profitable and in our own free­dome, yet if there fall a greater con­sequence before the time of perform­ance, we are not bound in conscience to perform them: as if a man upon the re­ceit of some mercie should in testimonie of his thankfulnesse vow a hundred pounds to good uses, in the mean time his estate so decayeth as that he shall undo himself and his familie if he per­form it; this is so great a consequence, and contingently hapned, that it freeth his conscience from performing what he had vowed: Or if a man should promise marriage to a woman, and be­fore the time of nuptials she be found unchast; this is a farre greater conse­quence, and he is not bound in consci­ence to marry her. These kinds of vows do not bind in conscience: But all other do bind us.

1. Vse; We may learn from hence never to vow but with good judge­ment and counsel. For either we must keep our promise, or not: If we must, that is a signe it is good, and therefore [Page 317] had need of deliberation: If we must not keep it, then it is a signe of rash­nesse and inconsideratenesse; and be­sides it may prove scandalous and of­fensive to them to whom we make it, and also to them that shall heare of it: And therefore it requireth good judge­ment and advise to vow. What a rash vow was that of good Jephthah? Judges 11.30. If thou wilt deliver Ammon into my hand, what­soever meeteth me I will offer it for a burnt-offering. How if a dog had first met him? what a sin had it been? How if his daughter? what a thing had that been? And indeed it proved to be his daugh­ter. Vows without judgement do but increase our sinnes and aggravate our transgressions against God.

2. Vse; This teacheth us to keep our good vows whatsoever they be that we make. Indeed it is hard to keep a good, yea it is hard to make a good vow in that manner as we should: It requireth a great deal of faith and self­deniall and humilitie and strength of resolution: But when we have made it, our sinne is the greater if we do not [Page 318] then keep it; [...]cles 5.5 Better it is not to vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay. Hast thou vowed a vow? then deferre not to pay it: God hath no pleasure in fools. As if the holy Ghost had said, It is the part of a fool to vow before he consider and be absolutely resolved to perform, to be off and on with the Lord God of hosts: The Lord hath no pleasure in fools: Therefore pay all thy good vows, and be humbled for thy rash vows. But we are fallen into bad times, when truth and equitie is pe­rished from among men: Every one is a deceitfull bow; yea, the best (almost) is a briar: Nothing so common as vows and promises; but few make con­science of performing them. Nay, men are carelesse of their grand vow which they have made unto God in their baptisme. [...]aptisme. O this is a very fearfull sinne! Ye have all made a vow unto God in your baptisme that ye would live otherwise then ye do, and ye make no conscience to keep it. Baptisme is a very weightie thing: If there were no other thing to bind you to holinesse and obedience and faith but onely the vow [Page 319] ye entred into in your baptisme, did ye consider what a vow it is, it would move you alone. It is said of Apollos that he was fervent in spirit though he knew nothing but the baptisme of John: Acts 18.25. Apollos considered what a vow he had made unto God in his baptisme, that, though he knew nothing else, it made him zealous for God. Baptisme is a very great binder of conscience: It bindeth a man to believe, and to go out of himself, and to submit to Jesus Christ. The wicked Pharisees saw this to be true: Matth. 21.25. If we shall say that Johns baptisme was from heaven, he will say, Why did ye not then believe? Beloved, was not your baptisme from heaven? was it not an ordinance of God? and did ye not solemnly then vow unto God? Why then do ye not believe? why do ye not denie your selves, your works, your wayes, and take up Christs crosse? As Christ saith of John Baptist, Among them that are born of women there hath not been a greater then John the Baptist; Matth. 11.11. so may I say of bonds and of vows and covenants, Among all the [Page 320] vows and covenants that ever were made there hath not been a greater then this of Baptisme: And therefore ye had best look to the performing of what ye then vowed: If ye do not, ye are grievous breakers of covenant with God; which sinne will surely stand against you for evil. It is most certain, that Baptisme doth greatly bind us in conscience to walk answer­ably to it in all righteousnesse and true holinesse: And we can never be saved (though we are baptized) except we can answer with a good conscience that we live as we vowed in our Baptisme: 1. Pet. 3.21. The like figure whereunto, even Baptisme, doth also now save us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God. Mark; Unlesse we can answer with a good conscience that we live ac­cording to our promises in it, our Ba­ptisme cannot save us. I pray, consider that speech of S ^t Paul; [...]. 6.4. We are buried with Christ by baptisme into his death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we al­so [Page 321] should walk in newnesse of life. Mark; There is the vow that we made unto God in our Baptisme: And the Apostle [...]ere telleth us we are bound in con­ [...]ience to keep this vow; otherwise we [...]nd better have been without our Ba­ [...]tisme. Do not think that God will [...]e mocked: Ye are content to go for Christians: but if ye be Christians, [...]nsider ye are under a great vow; and [...] ye do not keep it, Gods covenant [...]th a quarrel against you, and ye [...]all be broken in judgement. There is [...]o sinne that ye live in, no lust that [...]our conscience telleth you hath enter­ [...]nment in your hearts, but it is sacra­ [...]entall perjurie against the vow that [...] made unto God in your Ba­ [...]tisme. Are ye dead to good du­ [...]es? Ye vowed in your Baptisme ye would not be so. Do ye not dayly [...]ortifie and subdue your affections? [...] vowed in your baptisme ye would. [...] ye not dayly fight against sinne and [...]lesh, like the faithfull souldiers of Christ? Ye vowed in your Baptisme ye would. What a horrible perjurie is [Page 322] this? Nay, it is worse: it is a sacramen­tall perjurie. When the Apostles saw any sinne in the people, presently they tell them of Baptisme: as if they should say, Do ye live thus and thus, when ye vowed the contrarie in your Baptisme? When there were divisions in Corinth; Some would be of Cephas, and some of Apollos, and some of Paul: Paul then telleth them of their Baptisme, Were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 1. Cor. 1.13. As if he had said, I pray, consider how contrary this is unto your Baptisme: Ye were baptized into Christ; and are ye that divided among your selves? So when there was corruption crept into the people of Galatia, S ^t Paul telleth the [...] of their Baptisme: Gal. 3.27. As many of ye saith he, as have been baptized into Chr [...] have put on Christ. As if he had sai [...] This corruption of yours is contrarie to your baptisme: Ye were baptized into Christ, & ye have vowed to put on Christ & do ye yield to such corruptions as these▪ So also when there was want of love and unitie and affection between one an­other among the Ephesians, S ^t Paul [Page 323] telleth them of their Baptisme: O saith [...] There is one God, one faith, Ephes. 4.5. one ba­ [...]sme. As if he should say, This is con­ [...]arie to your baptisme: Ye were all bapti­ [...]d with one baptisme, and do not ye live [...] peace? and is there not unitie of spirit [...]e with another among you? What? and are all baptized with one baptisme? Be­loved, ye never do that which is not [...]od but ye go clean contrarie to your [...]ptisme. What? were ye baptized into [...]hrist, and do thus? baptized into [...]hrist and pray thus? baptized into [...]hrist, and heare the word of Christ [...]us? serve God no better then thus? Your Baptisme bindeth you in consci­ence against every sinne and every evil [...]ay: O let us take it to heart and con­ [...]ler it.