The Souls Looking Glass 2, Tract 2 · Proposition 3 · Part 3
A quiet conſcience.
COncerning a quiet conſcience three things are to be conſidered: 1. What a quiet conſcience is; 2. How it differeth from that quiet conſcience which is in the wicked; 3. The examination whether we have this quiet conſcience or no.
I. For the firſt, What a quiet conſcience is; It is that which neither doth nor can accuſe us, but giveth an honourable teſtimony of us in the courſe of our lives and converſations ever ſince we were regenerate (I put that in too: for 1. we do not begin to live till we be regenerate, and 2. we can never have a true quiet conſcience till then.) Such a quiet conſcience had good Obadiah;1. Kings 18.12. I fear the Lord from my youth, ſaith his conſcience: This was a very honourable teſtimony that his conſcience gave him. Such a quiet conſcience had Enoch:Heb. 11.5. Before his tranſlation he received this teſtimony, that he pleaſed God. Dicente ſcripturâ, inquit ille.Haymo ſaith, this teſtimony was the teſtimony of ſcripture, Gen. 5.24. where it is ſaid that he walked with God. This is true; but this is not all: The text ſaith not there was ſuch a teſtimony given of him, but he had it: and that before his tranſlation; but the teſtimony of Moſes was after his tranſlation: Therefore it was the teſtimony of his conſcience that bore witneſſe within that he pleaſed God. So that this is a quiet conſcience, which neither doth nor can accuſe us, but giveth an honourable teſtimony of us in the whole courſe of our life and converſation. Now to ſuch a quiet conſcience there be three things neceſſary: 1. Uprightneſſe, 2. Puritie, 3. Aſſurance of Gods love and favour.
Firſt, uprightneſſe is when a man is obedient indeed. Many will be obedient, but they are not obedient indeed, not humbled indeed, not reformed indeed. What it is to be obedient indeed ye may ſee Exod. 23.22. But if thou ſhalt indeed obey his voyce, and do all that I ſhall ſpeak, &c. Mark; that is obedience indeed when we do all that God ſpeaketh, and are obedient in all things. This is an upright conſcience, when the heart is bent to obedience in all things. An example we meet with in Paul;Acts 23.1. I have lived in all good conſcience before God untill this day. His conſcience could not accuſe him of any root of wickedneſſe and corruption allowed and cheriſhed in him: That is an upright conſcience. Haſt thou ſuch a conſcience as this, My conſcience can truly bear witneſſe there is no ſinne I favour my ſelf in, allow my ſelf in, but condemne all, ſtrive againſt all. Thus David proveth that his conſcience was upright; If I regard iniquitie in my heart, the Lord will not heare my prayer. The regarding of any iniquity will not ſtand with uprightneſſe.
A ſecond thing required to a true quiet conſcience is puritie. Though ou… heart be upright and ſtand generally bent to do the Lords will, yet if we be guiltie of ſome particular ſinne this will hinder the quiet of our conſcience. Therefore ſaith Paul,1. Cor. 4.4. I know nothing by my ſelf; that is, no thing to aco… me; no corruption, no root of unbeli… reigning in him: Infirmities he ha… many, and frailties he had many, and h… knew them, but he knew nothing … accuſe him. Whatever was amiſſe i… him, his conſcience told him he uſe… all holy means againſt it. If thy conſcience can truly ſay thus alſo of thee, then haſt thou a truly quiet conſcience.
Thirdly, Aſſurance of Gods love, favour, and pardon. Though we have fallen into great ſinnes, yet our conſciences may have quiet if we can be truly aſſured of Gods love and favour in the pardon of them.Heb. 10.2. The Apoſtle proveth that the ſacrifices of the law could not purge away ſinne; but onelyonly Chriſts bloud can do it. His argument to prove it is this, Becauſe thoſe ſacrifices could not free a man from having conſcience of ſinne; they could not purge the conſcience: but Chriſts bloud can: After aſſurance of pardon in Chriſts bloud conſcience can no more condemne for ſinne, how many or how great ſoever the ſinnes were which have been committed. Theſe are the three things required to a true quiet conſcience.
Furthermore a quiet conſcience implieth two things: 1. A calmneſſe of ſpirit: 2. A chearfull, merry and comfortable heart. Theſe two I mean when I ſpeak of a quiet conſcience.
1. A calmneſſe of ſpirit, or a quietneſſe of mind, not troubled with the burden of ſinne nor the wrath of God, nor terrified with the judgements due unto ſinne. This quietneſſe and calmneſſe of ſpirit is promiſed to all them that truly hearken unto Chriſt and obey him;Prov. 1.33 Whoſo hearkeneth to me ſhall be quiet from fear of evil.
2. A chearfull, merry and joyfull heart. When our conſcience giveth a comfortable teſtimonie of us, it cannot but make our hearts joyfull.2. Cor. 1.12. This is our rejoycing, the teſtimonie of our conſcience, ſaith Paul: The comfortable teſtimonie which his conſcience gave of him made him to rejoyce. A wicked man cannot truly rejoyce: no, though he be merrie and joviall and laugh, yet his carnall eſtate is a ſnare, he can have no true joy; but the righteous ſing and rejoyce, Prov. 29.6. No mirth like the mirth of a good conſcience. All other joy is but outſide, painted, ſeeming joy: That is onelyonly true joy that is rooted in the comfortable teſtimonie of an upright good conſcience, which telleth a man his peace is made with God, and that whether he be in ſickneſſe or in health God loveth him, whether he live or die he is the Lords. Thus ye ſee what a quiet conſcience is.
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; 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 onelyonly 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… 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 onelyonly 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 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… 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 onelyonly from vain 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 onelyonly 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 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 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 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 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 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 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… 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 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… 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 onelyonly 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. 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 … 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 foreign, the fear…lleſt thing of all fearfull things. Bildad …lleth it the king of terrours. Job 18.14.Nature loveth 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 onelyonly becauſe he had no iſſu… 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 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 onelyonly, but to them alſo that love his appearing: that is, to al… his children: For all the children o… 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… 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, 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 onelyonly 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 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 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 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 onelyonly 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: 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; 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, foreign, 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 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 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.