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THis hath foure parts: 1. To ap∣prove; 2. To absolve; 3. To ••islike; 4. To condemne, according ••o the good or evil of our actions or ••omissions. The judgement is not one∣ly of the things, what they are; but whither they tend, and what they will ••roduce.
FIrst, when that which is done is good, conscience approveth it: as Paul saith, This is our rejoycing, the te∣stimony of our conscience, 2. Cor. 1.12. When he had lived uprightly and sin∣cerely, his conscience approved of it: so when he had great sorrow and hea∣vinesse for his brethren, his conscience approved it; my conscience bearing me witnesse, saith he. So at his latter end we may see how his conscience appro∣ved the whole course of his life: 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 concer∣ning the issue of it. Conscience so ap∣proveth every particular good action done by a faithfull man, that by it he may gather a testimony of the upright∣nesse of his heart: as Hezekiah; Re∣member, Lord, that I have walked upright∣ly before thee. Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life, because we
love the brethren. Mark; Love to Gods children is a sufficient testimony not onely of our uprightnesse in that parti∣cular 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 appro∣bation his conscience gave of him; 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.
THe second part of the office of con∣science is to absolve and acquit. ••hus Samuel pleading his innocency, ••d his conscience testifying for him, ••hose ox have I taken? or whom have I de∣••auded? and his conscience absolved ••m as clear and free from those sins.
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 〈◊〉〈◊〉
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.
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, 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
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 mis∣liked 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 mis∣liked his griping? and Doegs consci∣ence misliked his slandering? and Pa¦shurs conscience misliked his opposin•• and misusing Jeremie? and the old pro∣phets conscience misliked his lying▪ Who would have thought but Balaa•• said well, Whatsoever the Lord saith un∣to 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.
THe fourth part of consciences of∣fice 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: 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
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 here∣tick, who is said to be condemned of him∣self.
[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; 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 be∣fore 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 ac∣cusing or excusing one another. At the last day every man shall be judged ac∣cording
to his conscience; a child of God according to his; a carnall man according to his. The Lord shall ab∣solve 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 writ∣ten 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 ho∣ly life: for according to our works so will be the evidences of our consci∣ences,
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 stand∣eth 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 dis∣charged.
THus I have shewed you the offices of conscience about things hereto∣fore done. Now let me shew you the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices. Ye have heard that con∣science hath foure offices in things here∣tofore 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 consci∣ence is to mislike and to condemne.
Now followeth the affections of con∣science in the discharge of these offices; and they are foure: 1. A tender con∣science; 2. A sleepie conscience; 3. A benumbed conscience; 4. A seared conscience.
First, 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. Such was Da∣vids 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.
And we have great cause to prise a ten∣der conscience. What got the Bethshe∣mites by not being tender in consci∣ence? They looked into the Ark, and because they durst venture upon it th•• Lord smote fifty thousand of them a•• once. What got the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath for not being ten∣der 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 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 trou¦ble or disquiet as would bring o¦thers 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 to¦morrow:
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, all ye that are weary and heavy la∣••en, and I will ease you.
A benumbed conscience; that is, ••••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
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 ne∣ver telleth them about it. Thus the A∣postle speaketh of those who knew th•• judgement of God, 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 com¦pany-keepers, &c. This is a ver•• wretched conscience: the Lord delive•• us from it.
Fourthly, a seared conscience; tha•• is, such a conscience as speaketh not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 jote; seared with a hot iron, as the Apo¦stles phrase is, 1. Tim. 4.2. a sense lesse conscience, a past-feeling consci¦ence:
when men can swallow down sinne like drink, oathes, contempt of God, his word and worship, mockage of Gods servants, hating to be reform∣ed; 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 them∣selves 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 Apo∣states 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
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 grave∣stone 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 torment∣ing then the very devils themselves.
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
of the Psalmist; I will hearken what the Lord God will say in me (so some tran∣slate 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 sear∣eth conscience then suffering quickne∣ings to die. Blow the coles if they do but smoke. As the Apostle saith, quench not the Spirit; so quench not consci∣ence.
I have hitherto shewed you that every man hath a conscience, and the reasons why God hath given us a con∣science, the light that it acteth by, the of∣fices of it, and the affections of it. Now from all these proceed two other ad∣juncts of conscience: 1. A quiet con∣science; 2. An unquiet conscience.
Rom. 9.1.
2. Tim. 4.7, 8.
1. John 3.14.
Luke 2.29.
1. Sam. 12.3.
Rom. 7.15.
Gen. 3.7.
Tit. 3.11.
Rom. 2.15.
1. A ten∣der con∣science.
1. Sam. 24 5.
1. Sam. 6.19. Numb. 15.32, 36.
2. A slee∣py consci∣ence.
Matth. 11.28.
3. A be∣numbed conscience
Rom. 1.32.
4. A seared conscience
Vse.