The Souls Looking Glass 2, Tract 2 · Proposition 3 · Part 2
The office of conſcience about things already done or omitted.
THis hath foure parts: 1. To approve; 2. To abſolve; 3. To …iſlike; 4. To condemne, according …o the good or evil of our actions or …omiſſions. The judgement is not onelyonly of the things, what they are; but whither they tend, and what they will …roduce.
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 love the brethren. Mark; Love to Gods children is a ſufficient teſtimony not onelyonly 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. 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 onelyonly 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.
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 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 onelyonly 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 merciemercy, 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 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 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, 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. 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. 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 conſcience2. 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: 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 onelyonly 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 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… onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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: 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 onelyonly 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 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 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.