The Souls Looking Glass 2, Tract 2 · Proposition 3
Propoſition III. …he office of Conſcience is to bear witneſſe, to accuſe or excuſe.
COnſcience is put into this office by God himſelf. It is Gods officer:III. Propoſition. The office of Conſcience is to bear witneſſe. …ot onelyonly his regiſter-book that ſhall … opened at the day of judgement, …herein is ſet down our thoughts, words and deeds: but it is a preacher alſo to tell us our duty both towards …od and towards man: yea, it is a …werfull preacher; it exhorteth, ur…th, provoketh: yea, the moſt power…ll preacher that can be; it will cauſe …e ſtouteſt and ſtubborneſt heart un…r heaven to quake now and then; it …ill never let us alone till it have …ought us either to God or to the de…. Conſcience is joyned in com…iſſion with Gods owne ſpirit to be an inſtructour unto us in the way we ſhould walk; ſo that the ſpirit and it are reſiſted or obeyed together, grieved or delighted together: We cannot ſinne againſt conſcience but we ſinne alſo againſt Gods ſpirit; we cannot check our own conſciences but we check and quench the holy ſpirit of God.
The office of conſcience to our ſelves is,Rom. 9.1. to bear witneſſe: My conſcience beareth me witneſſe, ſaith Paul. Conſcience is alwayes ready to do this office, if it ſhall at any time be invited unto it: For conſcience looketh ſometimes for inviting; ſometimes it will not bear witneſſe unleſſe we invite it and call upon it ſo to do. But there will come a time when it will do it and muſt do it and ſhall do it, namely at death or at judgement: then it will bear witneſſe whether men invite it or no. Now it may be ſuppreſſed and ſilenced and kept under from witneſſing; but then it muſt bear witneſſe and ſhall, either excuſing or accuſing, acquitting or condemning, when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of mens hearts, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.
The properties that are given unto conſcience in the diſcharge of its office are foure:Foure Properties of Conſcience. 1. It is ſupreme; 2. It is impartiall; 3. It is faithfull; 4. It is privie.
1. It is ſupreme: It hath higheſt authoritie; it is the moſt uncontrollable and ableſt witneſſe that can be: the greateſt, weightieſt witneſſe in the world; better then ten thouſand witneſſes. Though all the world do condemn us, yet if our own conſcience do not, we need not fear: And ſo on the contrary, if conſcience do condemn us, it will be ſmall comfort though all the world flatter and commend and excuſe us. It is a ſupreme witneſſe: Though all the Angels in heaven ſhould come and bear witneſſe, their witneſſe is not ſo uncontrollable as conſcience is. There is no appealing from the witneſſe of conſcience; we muſt be tried by it. If conſcience do accuſe and condemn us, the Lord onelyonly is greater then our conſcience, 1. John 3.20. and will give judgement with it when it doth its office. And if our conſcience do not page missing and commend us and applaud us when we are naught, and call us good men and good women when we are nothing ſo: but this will tell us plainly how vile and ſinfull we are; and if we ſay we are good when we are not, it will tell us plainly we lie.1. John 2.4. He that ſaith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar. Mark; though he ſay it, yet his conſcience giveth him the lie. It is faithfull again in excuſing. It beareth witneſſe of every good dutie we perform and of whatſoever good is in us. Though all Jobs friends ſpake evil of him, and God himſelf by his outward judgements ſeemed to condemn him for a wicked man, yet ſtill his conſcience (like a faithfull witneſſe) did not forſake him, nay, it offered to reaſon with God himſelf,Job 13.3. I would reaſon with God: I know I ſhall be juſtified, and I will never forſake mine innocency till I die. Still his conſcience ſtood for him and excuſed him. Thus on both ſides conſcience is a faithfull and ſincere witneſſe: it will not be corrupted to ſpeak otherwiſe then it knoweth the matter is.
4. It is moſt privy to what it doth witneſſe. It is more privy to what we have done then all the world: It can ſay more for us or againſt us then all the world. Thou knoweſt all the wickedneſſe that thy heart is privy unto, ſaith Solomon to Shimei 1. Kings 2.44.
The uſe of all this is;Vſe. Seeing conſcience is ſo ſupreme, ſo impartiall, ſo faithfull, ſo privy, we ſhould take heed …ow we do any thing that might give …t advantage againſt us. If we were to …ppear before an earthly judge to an…wer for our behaviour, and ſhould have a companion preſent continually with us, marking every thing in us, tel…ing us of every fault, and witneſſing it …gainſt us unto the judge, how carefull would we be of doing any thing that might give him advantage againſt us? Lo, we have conſcience as a continuall watch-man, eſpying out all our wayes, …etting down what-ever we do amiſſe, …hecking us for it for the preſent, and one day accuſing us before God and …etting all things in order before our faces; Oh how ſhould we then labour page missing it two years after:Gen. 41.9. I remember my faults this day, ſaith his conſcience. Adonibezek had forgot his cruelty; but his conſcience brought it to his mind: As I have done ſo God hath requited me, Judg. 1.7.ſaith his conſcience.
2. Conſcience beareth witneſſe of what we intend and purpoſe to do, whether againſt God or man. It will teſtifie every purpoſe and project of the heart though it be never acted, though it die in the heart and never come to light. Men little think of this: Tuſh (ſaith one) I never did ſuch a thing, though I once intended it, or had ſome thoughts about it. Mark; thoſe very thoughts will conſcience bring forth and teſtifie what they were. Heare the Apoſtle;Rom. 2.16. in that day God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men, &c. The moſt hidden things conſcience ſhall bring to light, and Chriſt ſhall judge them.
3. Conſcience beareth witneſſe of the bent and frame of our hearts, what we affect moſt and love moſt, and rejoyce and delight in moſt, and deſire moſt and grieve for moſt, what our affections runne upon moſt, whether upon God or the world, whether upon heaven or the things of this life. Conſcience bare witneſſe to David,Pſal. 119.77. that his delight was in the law of the Lord, that God was his portion, that Gods ſtatutes were his counſellers. Conſcience bare witneſſe to the falſe teachers in Chriſts time, that they affected vainglory and the prayſe of men more then the prayſe of God. Conſcience bare witneſſe to Demas, that notwithſtanding his fair profeſſion his heart was ſet upon the world. Conſcience bare witneſſe to Jehu, that for all his ſeeming zeal his heart was not upright.
But it may be objected,Obj. 1. Jer. 17.9. How can this be? The heart is deceitfull above all things: who can know it?
Who can know it? That is,Anſw. Who elſe can know it but a man himſelf? None under God can know the heart of man but a mans own conſcience, the ſpirit of man that is in him. I confeſſe a man may be ignorant of ſome ſecret and particular deceit in his heart: but who knoweth not the generall ſtanding of page missing God ſmall; and ſo we are deceived, no… ſeeing the radicall power of this love of God, which in regard of its vertue is ſtronger then the other: As a fool, if he ſhould feel hot water, would conclude that there is no cold at all in it; whereas there is radicall cold in that water, ſuch as will expell all that heat in a little ſpace. Or elſe this ariſeth from anguiſh of ſpirit, which ſo diſturbeth the mind that it cannot ſee its own condition nor be capable of the comforts belonging unto it; as it was with the Iſraelites, Exod. 6.9. otherwiſe doubtleſſe we may know our own hearts; and when our conſcience beareth witneſſe its witneſſe is right.
Vſe 1 I. Uſe, of reproof to thoſe who ſtand out againſt the witneſſe of their conſcience, and like hard-hearted felons plead ſtill, Not guiltie, though never ſo much evidence come againſt them, though conſcience oft tell them, this they have done, thus they do, ſuch they are. Oh ſtop not your eares againſt conſcience; ſtand not out againſt it, but believe its teſtimony, and make uſe of it to repent of the evil it accu…h of while mercy may be had, before …od himſelf cometh and joyneth with conſcience to condemne for ever.
Vſe 2 II. It ſerveth for ſingular encouragement to all to abound in good works. Conſcience will bear witneſſe of them all to our unſpeakable comfort in the time of afflictions, yea at death and judgement. Job felt it a ſweet thing to have conſcience give in teſtimony of his integrity and uprightneſſe: When his friends proved miſerable comforters, and God himſelf ſeemed to write bitter …hings againſt him, yet his conſcience witneſſed that he had been eyes to the …lind, and feet to the lame, he had fed …he hungry and clothed the naked and comforted the fatherleſſe. There is not … good thing that ever we do but conſcience will afford us the ſweetneſſe and comfort of it in our troubles:Iſai. 38.3. Remem…er, O Lord, ſaith Hezekiah, that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart.
We have ſpoken of conſciences ſingle bearing witneſſe: Now followeth its page missing now onelyonly of thoſe who drown their conſciences in their cups, and fear their conſciences by their groſſe ſinnes; but of thoſe who would ſeem godly and perform good duties, but with hypocriticall hearts and carnall minds. O that they would heare but conſcience argue a little in this manner; To be carnally minded is death, that is, is an evident ſigne of a man that is in the ſtate of death and damnation: But, ſaith conſcience, I am carnally minded; or we are carnally minded: Therefore we have an argument about us of death and damnation. And ſo alſo for all other ſinnes; There is not a wicked man under heaven but he may argue out of his own miſerable eſtate by his conſcience, or he might if it were awaked, as one day it will be.
Vſe 3 Thirdly, this may ſerve for inſtruction. No matter what opinions me… have of us in the world: The queſtio… is, What is the judgement of our ow… conſciences upon us? It may be thou art taken for a man of great knowledge and a forward man in godlineſſe; it may b… the godly dare not judge otherwiſe o… thee: but the queſtion is, What is t… judgement of conſcience? Doth nor thy conſcience tell thee thou art but a proud fool, conceited of thy knowledge, and …oveſt to heare thy ſelf talk? And ſo for thy performance of good duties, what teſtimony doth conſcience give of the manner of doing of them? The teſtimoniall of conſcience is above all teſtimonials in the world:2. Cor. 1.12. all the good opinions of the world are not worth a …uſh without this: If conſcience can …ay that in our wayes we ſeek to pleaſe God, and allow not our ſelves in any …vil way, this teſtimony is full and ſa…isfactory, and onelyonly this.
Yet further concerning this judiciall witneſſe of conſcience: It is either about …hings to be done or omitted, or things …lready done or omitted. The judiciall witneſſe of conſcience about things to …e done or omitted is double: 1. To …dge out of Gods law whether it be …ood or evil; 2, To counſel out of …ur own judgements either to do it or …orbear it according as the nature of the …ction is: If it be good, conſcience will page missing ſo on the contrary, if it be evil, conſcience will counſel us to forbear, yea bring arguments to diſſwade; O do it not: it will tend to the diſhonour of God, and be offenſive to others, and wound our ſouls, &c. It was conſcience that withheld David from killing Saul, and preſt him from it by a ſtrong argument,1. Sam. 24 10. O he is the Lords anointed. It was conſcience that withheld Joſeph from yielding to the enticings of his miſtres, and yielded him an argument to diſſwade him from it, How ſhall I do this great wickedneſſe, and ſo ſinne againſt God? It was conſcience that diſſwaded Nehemiah from flying,Neh. 6.11. Should ſuch a man as I flie? And if one argument will not ſerve, conſcience will uſe more.
Vſe 1 The uſe of this may be firſt for Inſtruction. Hence we learn that naturall men may have a conſcience urging to good and reſtraining from evil. There is no man ſo evil or ignorant but he hath naturally ſome light with him by which conſcience is ſet on work to adviſe and to counſel, and to ſay, This is very good; do it: This is very ſinfull; forbear it. This therefore is no ſigne of grace in any man to have his conſcience calling upon him to do good or …iſſwading him from evil: The very heathen had ſo according to their light; yea and in many of them it was forcible to reſtrain them from many ſinnes which they were inclined unto. And ſo may many men be put upon many good duties, not for any love or liking of that which is good, but becauſe they would pleaſe and ſatisfie conſcience, which otherwiſe will not ſuffer them to be quiet. It was conſcience that kept Abimelech from defiling Sarah, and yet a carnall man.
Here then a queſtion may be asked,Obj. Whether a mere naturall man can avoid ſinne for conſcience ſake.
I anſwer,Anſw. That this expreſſion, for conſcience ſake, may be taken two wayes: either 1. for conſcience of the commandment of God and love to it; and ſo none but Gods children do obey for conſcience ſake: and ſo it is meant when Paul ſpeaketh of being ſubject for conſcience ſake, Rom. 13.5 1. Pet. 2.19.and Peter ſpeaketh of ſuffering page missing ſcience may not reproch him all his dayes for not following it: Whereas it is otherwiſe with the wicked.
Vſe 3 3. The third uſe is this; Seeing conſcience is appointed by God to be our guide and our counſellour, it ſhould be our practice in every thing we do to ask counſel of conſcience whether we were beſt do it or no. I ſay that conſcience is Gods oracle: Whatſoever we are to do we ſhould (as David) enquire of Gods oracle,1. Sam. 23.2. May I go this way to work, or ſhall I take an other courſe? Heare counſel and receive inſtruction, Prov. 19.20.ſaith Salomon, that thou mayſt be wiſe at thy latter end. Conſcience is a faithfull counſellour; heare it. It is the great merciemercy of God that thou haſt ſuch a privie counſel: Thou canſt go nowhere but it is about thee to adviſe thee. Therefore as Rehoboam ſaid to his green heads, What counſel give you? ſo ſay thou to thy conſcience, What adviſe giveſt thou, Conſcience, in this caſe? my carnall friends counſel me thus and thus; mine own carnall heart and luſts would have me go this way: but, Conſcience, what counſell giveſt thou?
Vſe 4 4. The fourth uſe is to reprove …he cuſtome of moſt men, who with Ahab refuſe the counſel of that one …rue wholeſome prophet, & have foure …undred other counſellours who will …ive counſel as they would have it: They regard not this good Michaiah; …hey ſlight the counſel of conſcience; …heir luſts and their carnall reaſon and …eſh and bloud are their counſellours; The counſel of conſcience, they ſay, is not …ood at this time, as he ſaid of Achito…hels: They will heare conſcience at …nother time, but not now. But take …eed; for if you reject the counſel of …onſcience, it is becauſe the Lord hath … purpoſe to deſtroy you.