Troposchēmalogia: Tropes and figures; or, A treatise of the metaphors, allegories, and express similitudes, &c. contained in the Bible of the Old and New Testament To which is prefixed, divers arguments to prove the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures wherein also 'tis largely evinced, that by the great whore, mystery Babylon is meant the Papal hierarchy, or present state and church of Rome. Philologia sacra, the second part. Wherein the schemes, or figures in Scripture, are reduced under their proper heads, with a brief explication of each. Together with a treatise of types, parables, &c. with an improvement of them parallel-wise. By B. K

Inferences.

THese things being considered, it may stir up all Persons to take heed how they carry it, at home and abroad, when they go out, and when they come in, when they lie down, or rise up, because Conscience observes all that is said or done, nay, is privy to all the thoughts of our Hearts, and one day will witness for us, or against us.

II. Let Christians, whatever they do, labour to keep a good Conscience. A good Conscience is better than a good Name, it is better than a good Trade, 'tis better than a good Estate. And for further Motives to this needful Duty,

1, Consider, Conscience keeps a Register of all thy Thoughts, Words, and Actions; what you forget, and is quite gone out of your Memories, is set down in the Book of Conscience.

2. Consider, Conscience is a Witness, an impartial Witness, an Accuser of Evil; and tho he lies still a great while, he will rouse up at last, and with his cruel Charges and Accusations accuse the Soul; as in the Case of Joseph's Brethren: And they said one to another,* 1.1 Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the Anguish of his Soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this Distress come upon us.

3. Conscience is not only a Witness, but a Judg, and hath power to condemn the wicked and the guilty Soul; it sits upon the Throne, as God's Attorney-General, to award Life or Death, as the States and Conditons of Men are. If thy Heart con∣demn the,* 1.2 God is greater, &c.

4. Conscience doth often the Work and Office of a Tormentor; wo to them that fall into his enraged hands here, but much more sad will it be with them whom he shall torment in Hell. 'Tis he that is the gnawing Worm that never dies,* 1.3 where the Fire shall never be quenched. But,

5. There is no bearing in this World the Pain and Torment of an accusing Con∣science. Tiberius the Emperor was so followed with Grief and Horror by his own Conscience, that he confessed in the Senate-House he suffered Death daily; and Charles the Ninth of France, that Monster of Mortals, after the dreadful Massacre, could never endure to be awaked in the Night without Musick, such was the dreadful Anguish and Horror he found in his own Conscience. Francis Spira also may be here recited among the rest, whose Conscience terrified him at that rate, that the Account of his fearful Case is left to Posterity. It was Conscience that put Judas into such an Amaze, and forced him to hang himself, after he had betrayed our Blessed Saviour. And many other Examples, both ancient and modern, we meet with, both of Men and Women, that have destroyed themselves, as not being able to bear the cruel Tor∣ments of an accusing Conscience; and others from hence have confessed their Guilt, and so delivered themselves into the hands of Justice.

6. That Man can never have good Days, that keeps an evil Conscience.

7. On the other hand, he that hath a good Conscience needs never be sad, nor can he be without good Days; for as Trouble and Horror of Conscience is the greatest Trou∣ble, so Peace of Conscience is the greatest Joy. That Man can never want Musick (saith Mr. Caryl) that speaks in Consort, and is harmonious with himself. A good Con∣science is the poor Man's Riches, and the rich Man's chiefest Jewel, a Jewel worth keeping. It is (saith one) the best Pillow to sleep on, and the best Dish to feed on. A good Conscience is a continual Feast; so the Geneva-Translation.* 1.4 A good Conscience with a Dinner of Herbs, is all Varieties; but a bad Conscience makes all Feasts and Pleasures like the Hand-writing on Belshazzar's Wall.

8. Labour to get and keep a good Conscience, because an evil one spoils all the good and best Actions of thy Life, it renders thy Prayers to be sinful.

9. Consider, Conscience is privy to all thou thinkest, knoweth what Evil hath been done by thee in private, seeth all the Evil thou hast committed, and all the Good thou hast omitted the doing of; and one day, if evil,* 1.5 it will lay all open be∣fore the Eyes of God, Angels, and Men, and come in as a Witness, to charge and condemn thee for ever. O therefore get a good Conscience.

10. Take heed how thou carriest thy self towards Conscience, because it hath a Regal Power in thy Soul, a Commission either to accuse or excuse: and if he condemns thee as an Unbeliever, or as a false Hypocrite, by the Light and Authority of God's Word,* 1.6 God will also (assuredly) condemn thee (unless thou dost repent) in the great Day.

11. Consider what a glorious Mercy it will be, to have such a Friend as Conscience witness for thee, when thou art wrongfully accused and condemned by Men. This was that which bore up Job, and holy Paul, in their Troubles.* 1.7 My Heart shall not reproach me, &c. This is our rejoycing, the Testimony of our Conscience.

Quest. Some possibly may enquire here, How a good Conscience may be known, or what Characters may be given of it?

Answ. I shall give you some Rules to judg of a good Conscience, both Negatively and Positively.

First, Negatively.

1. A blind, ignorant, and misguided Conscience is not a good Conscience. Some think that God concerns not himself with their Actions, takes no notice of their Hearts, Words, or Lives. Others think that God is made up wholly of Mercy, and tremble not at his Justice, and so conclude it is an easy thing to get to Heaven. One (that I have heard of) said, That if it were as easy to get the Riches of this World, as it was to get Heaven, he would not care; or to that effect: not remembring that it is as hard to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, (especially for rich Men) as it is for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle,* 1.8 and that the Righteous shall scarcely be saved. Others think, that those Men are Fools that make such a Stir and Ado about Religion, thinking that is the best Religion that is easiest to the Flesh, and is most free from outward Trouble; whereas the Scripture saith,* 1.9 that whoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution. Some think the Laws of Men must be

their Rule in all Matters of Faith and Religion; and whatever Magistrates command, must be done, &c.

2. A drouzy and sleepy Conscience is not a good Conscience. A Conscience that is not throughly awakened, will let a Man alone in Sin; such can sleep upon the Brink of the greatest Danger, tho they are just falling into the Gulph of Eternity; yea, can sleep under the most awakening Ministry; tho Hell-Fire be thrown (as it were) in their very Faces, yet Conscience giveth them not one Jog.

3. A guilty Conscience is not a good Conscience, when Conscience flies into a Man's Face for this or that Sin,* 1.10 some horrid Pollution or other, loved, and lived in.

4. A seared Conscience, a Conscience that hath no feeling in it, is not a good Conscience.

5. A despairing Conscience is not a good Conscience. Such as think their Sins are greater than God can or will forgive,* 1.11 notwithstanding Christ hath said, All Sins and Blasphemies against the Father and the Son shall be forgiven unto Men; and those, that believe not there is Life for them in Christ, make God a Liar.

Secondly, Positively.

1. That Man hath a good Conscience, that walks uprightly and faithfully to his Light, according to what he knoweth. If he hath only a natural Light, and walks up faithfully to that, then he hath only a natural good Conscience; there is Moral Sincerity spoken of in the holy Scriptures,* 1.12 as well as Godly Sincerity. Abimelech in this respect had a good Conscience: In the Sincerity of my Heart, and Innocency of my Hands,* 1.13 have I done this.

Here I might shew how a natural good Conscience may be known from a Consci∣ence evangelically and spiritually good; take two or three Hints.

(1.) He whose Conscience is only naturally good, is usually a proud Man; Lord, I thank thee,* 1.14 I am not as other Men, &c. Such seek their own Glory, they sacrifice to their own Net, and burn Incense to their own Drag; all centers in Self, the Princi∣ple of their Action is Self. A Saint, when his Gifts are highest, his Heart is lowest; when his Spirit is most raised, his Heart is most humble.

(2.) A Man that hath only a natural good Conscience, his great endeavour is to still the Noise, and stop the Mouth of it; but never looks to have the Guilt removed, and Filth washed away by Christ's Blood; he seeth no need of a Saviour: I was alive once without the Law,* 1.15 &c. He is like a Child that hath got a Thorn in his Flesh, who wipeth away the Blood, but taketh no notice or thought how to get out the Thorn. If bare Performance of Duties, whether natural or divine, will still or quiet the Conscience, the Conscience is but naturally good.

2. When Conscience compares a Man's Ways by the perfect Rule of God's Word, by which he walks, and finds it agreeable thereto.

3. An evangelical good Conscience findeth a Man as careful of his Duty towards God, as he is of his Duty towards Man; and as careful of his Duty towards Man, as of his Duty towards God.* 1.16 Herein do I exercise my self, to have always a Conscience void of Offence towards God, and towards Man.

4. An evangelical good Conscience always stirs up to Obedience and Conformity to God's Word, from the sight of the Excellency of it, and Purity that is in it: Thy Word is very pure,* 1.17 therefore thy Servant loveth it.

5. He hath a good Conscience, whose Conviction and Trouble for Sin is uni∣versal, when it is deep, when the Spirit searcheth into the bottom: Come, saith the Woman of Samaria,* 1.18 see a Man that hath told me all that ever I did. And they were pricked in their Hearts.

6. He hath an evangelical good Conscience, who is troubled for Sin, not simply because of Shame, or because of inward Guilt, or fear of Punishment, but because God is and hath been offended, his Spirit grieved, and his Soul defiled, and made unlike God; his Trouble riseth from the sence of the hainous Nature of Sin.

7. When Conscience findeth that no Conviction, either of Sin or Duty, is slighted by the Soul,* 1.19 but tenderly nourished.

8. When a Man will suffer any Punishment or Loss, before he will offer violence to his Conscience, and sin against God.

9. When Conscience cannot find any Sin hid, spared, born with, or connived at in the Soul, no sweet Morsel under the Tongue.

10. When Conscience finds a Man the same in private that he is in publick, and that he is not of a Pharisaical Spirit, doth nothing to be seen of Men, or for vain Glory's sake.

11. When Conscience cannot find any Duty or Ordinance, which the Soul is con∣vinced of, to be neglected, tho he is exposed to Reproach thereby. To obey God in Baptism, is called the Answer of a good Conscience; Conscience calls for obedience to this, and to all other Ordinances of the Gospel, when convinced of them.

12. And lastly; When Conscience beareth Testimony to a Soul, that it loveth God and Jesus Christ above all things in this World, &c. He that hateth not Father and Mother, &c. cannot be my Disciple. That is, if he hath not a lesser Love to them; for the lesser Love in Scripture is called a Hatred, which our Saviour openeth in ano∣ther place, He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me,* 1.20 &c. Yea doubtless I ac∣count all things but Loss, &c.

Quest. How shall a Man get and keep a good Conscience?

Answ. 1. He must get his Heart sprinkled with the Blood of Christ.* 1.21 Let us draw near with a true Heart, in full assurance of Faith, having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience, &c. See that you experience that the Blood of Christ hath as effectu∣ally purged your Consciences from dead Works,* 1.22 as the Blood of Bulls and Goats sancti∣fied to the purifying of the Flesh.

2. He must take heed of all such things as offend his Conscience; Conscience is a very tender thing, the smallest thing will make it bleed.

3. He must take heed of evil aad corrupt Principles; an erring Conscience is not a good Conscience.

4. Labour to fit under a Soul-searching Ministry.

5. Take heed of vain Glory, and all secret Evil; Conscience prieth into thy most inward Thoughts; beware of speculative Sin.

6. Labour to keep thy Tongue. Whoso keepeth his Mouth, and his Tongue, keepeth his Soul from Trouble.

7. Labour to bring thy Heart into every Duty, beware of Hypocrisy.

8. Do not grieve or offend thy Conscience in any thing; tho the Matter may be in it self lawful, yet thou must not do it, if thou hast a doubt in thy Spirit about it:* 1.23 He that doubteth is damned, that is, condemned in his own Conscience. But much more take heed of doing that which is by all owned to be utterly unlawful.

9. Labour in all Acts to be sincere. Conscience hath power to give in Testimony concerning thy Integrity; if thy Heart be unsound, and not upright, Conscience will soon discover it, and reproach thee for it, and thou wilt not be able to hold out to the end: and sad will it be to have thy own Conscience witness against thee, when thou comest to lie on a sick Bed; an evil Conscience will be a bad Death-Bed Companion.

O how doth this reprove those that sin, and regard not the Checks and Rebukes of their own Hearts! Conscience in the great Day will be more than ten thousand Witnesses against them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 42.21
• * 1.2

  1 Joh 3.20, 21.
• * 1.3

  Mark 9.44.
• * 1.4

  Prov. 15.15. Dan. 5.5.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 2.15
• * 1.6

  1 John 3.20.
• * 1.7

  Job 27.6. 2 Cor. 1.12.
• * 1.8

  Mat. 19.23 1 Pet. 4.18
• * 1.9

  1 Tim. 2.12
• * 1.10

  Tit. 1.15.
• * 1.11

  Mat. 12.31
• * 1.12

  Joh. 20.4.
• * 1.13

  Gen. 20.5.
• * 1.14

  Luk. 18 11.
• * 1.15

  Rom. 7.11
• * 1.16

  Acts 24.16
• * 1.17

  Psal. 119.
• * 1.18

  Joh. 4 29, 39.
• * 1.19

  Psal. 119.80.
• * 1.20

  Phil. 3 9, 10.
• * 1.21

  Heb. 10.22.
• * 1.22

  Heb. 9.14.
• * 1.23

  Rom. 14.23.