The Souls Looking Glass 2, Tract 2 · Proposition 1
Propoſition I. There is in every man a conſcience.
THere was a conſcience in all theſe heathen in the text:1. There is in every man a conſcience their conſciences …ring them witneſſe. There was a conſcience in the Scribes and Phariſees:John 8.9. being convicted of their own conſciences There is a conſcience in good men: as in Paul;2. Cor. 1.12. Our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience. There is a conſcience in wicked men:Tit. 1.15. their mind and conſcience is defiled. As it is impoſſible the fire ſhould be without heat, ſo it is impoſſible that any man ſhould be without … conſcience. Indeed we uſe to ſay, Such an one hath no conſcience: bu… our meaning is, that he hath no good conſcience. But every one hath a conſcience, either good or bad. The Lord engraved conſcience in man when he created him at firſt. True it is, ſince the fall of man conſcience is miſerably corrupted; but man can never put it off: Conſcience continueth for ever in every man, whether he be in earth or heaven or hell. The moſt baſe and deviliſh profanelings in the world have a conſcience: Let them choke it or ſmother it as much as they can, let them whore it or game it or drink it away as much as they are able for their hearts; yet conſcience will continue in ſpite of their teeth.
1. No length of time can wear this conſcience out. What made Joſephs brethren to remember the cruel uſage they ſhewed him but conſcience? It was about twenty years before; yet …hey could not wear it out.
2. No violence nor force is able to …uppreſſe conſcience but that one day …r other it will ſhew it ſelf. What made Judas go and carry back the money that he betrayed our Saviour for, …nd alſo to cry out, I have ſinned, but conſcience? No queſtion but he la…oured to ſuppreſſe it; but he could …ot.
3. No greatneſſe nor power is able do ſtifle conſcience but that it will one …ay like a band-dog flie in a ſinners face. What made Pharaoh crie out, I am …icked, but conſcience? He was a great King; and yet he was not able to over…ower conſcience.
4. No muſick, mirth or jovializing …an charm conſcience, but it will play …he devil to a wretched ſoul for all …hat. What was the evil ſpirit of me…ancholy that came upon Saul but conſcience? He thought to allay it with inſtruments of muſick; but it ſtill came again.
5. Death it ſelf is not able to part conſcience from a ſinner. What is that worm that ſhall never die but onelyonly conſcience? and in hell conſcience is as that fire that never goeth out.
I confeſſe ſome ſeem to have loſt conſcience quite: They can omit good duties as though they had no conſcience at all; they can deferre repentance and turning to God as though they had no more conſcience then a beaſt: but one day conſcience will appear, and ſhew plainly that it was preſent with them every moment of their lives, and privie to all their thoughts and all their wayes, and ſet before them all the things that they have done. Be men never ſo ſecure and ſenſeleſſe, and ſeared for the preſent, conſcience will break out either firſt or laſt: Either here or in hell it will appear to every man, That he hath and ever had a conſcience.
ReaſonsNow the reaſons why the Lord did plant a conſcience in every man living are,
1. Becauſe the Lord is a very righ…ous Judge: And as he commandeth …rthly judges not to judge without …itneſſe; ſo he himſelf will not judge …ithout witnes, and therefore he planteth a conſcience in every one to bring in evidence for him or againſt him at Gods tribunall.
2. Becauſe the Lord is very merci…ll. We are wonderous forgetfull and …ndleſſe of God and of our own ſouls, and have need to be quickned up to our duties: therefore the Lord hath …iven every one of us a conſcience to …e a continuall monitour. Sometime …e forget to pray, and then conſcience …tteth us in mind to go to God: ſome…me we are dull in the duty, and con…ence is as a prick to quicken us: ſome…ne our paſſions are diſtempered, and …en conſcience checketh & command…h us to bridle them. We ſhould ne…r be kept in any order if it were not …r conſcience: Therefore hath the …ord in mercy given us a conſcience.
Vſe 1 The firſt uſe is, to condemn that diabolical proverb common among men Conſcience is hanged a great while ago. No, no; Achitophel may hang himſelf, bu… he cannot hang his conſcience: Sa… may kill himſelf, but conſcience canno… be killed.Mar 9.44. It is a worm that never dieth As the reaſonable ſoul of man is immortall, ſo conſcience alſo is immortall.
Vſe 2 Secondly, this condemneth ſuch a go about to ſuppreſſe conſcience: The… conſcience maketh them melancholic… and lumpiſh now and then, and they g… about to ſhake it off. Alas! why do y… go about that which is utterly impoſſible? Ye may ſuppreſſe it for a while and gagge it for a while; but ye can never ſhake it off. Conſcience ſticketh ſ… cloſe that a man may as ſoon ſhake o… himſelf as his conſcience. And indee… his conſcience is himſelf:1. Cor. 11.28. Let a man examine himſelf, that is, his conſcience Judge in your ſelves, verſe 13.that is, Judge i… your conſciences.
Vſe 3 Thirdly, this confuteth that drunke opinion, That conſcience is nothing …ut a preſent fit of melancholy. No; It cauſeth it may be the preſent melancholick fit, but it is not it. Conſcience … a ſtanding power in a man that is e…ermore with him, and will evermore …dge him and condemn him if he be …uiltie before God. It will be with him when his dumpiſh fit is over. Let him laugh and be merry; yet conſcience lies … the bottome of all, and will ſpoyl all the mirth.Prov. 14.13. Let the drunkard be ne…er ſo joviall; I will not believe but …onſcience in the midſt of that drunken mirth cauſeth ſome ſadneſſe within, and telleth him this is a very wicked life. Let the carnall hypocrite daub up the matter with good duties and good prayers and good hopes; I cannot believe but …here is a conſcience lieth at the bot…ome and telleth him he is rotten for all …his. You may ſee this in Cain:Gen. 4.5. He had …een at a good duty, ſacrificing to the Lord; but his countenance fell when …e had done, conſcience did lie at the bottome, and did tell him God did not accept him. Conſcience is with evil men at church, at ſermon, at ſacrament, and telleth them ſecretly that they an… not the perſons to whom the bleſſin… of theſe ordinances belong.
Vſe 4 Laſtly, this may be for exhortatio… to the godly; That they would conſider this, that they have ever a conſcience within them; and that therefor… they would labour alwayes to keep i… void of offenſe: which was Pauls exerciſe Acts 24.16. Take heed you offenc… not your conſciences in duties of piety towards God, in your prayings, hearings, &c. no nor in your callings, eatings, drinkings, liberties, recreations: Look alwayes to your conſciences, that yo… offend them not, becauſe they are eve… with you. When two live ever together, they had need not offend one another; elſe there will be no quiet: You and your conſciences muſt ever live together: if ye offend them, ye are like to have very ill lives. Better live with a curſt ſcold then live with an offended conſcience: ye had better offend the whole world then offend conſcience. There are none whom ye are alwayes to live with; but conſcience ye are alwayes to live with. Ye are not alwayes to live with your husbands, …r alwayes with your wives, nor al…ayes with your parents or maſters; …ere is a time when you muſt part: but …onſcience and you will never part: …herefore labour to keep it void of of…nſe. And thus much of the firſt propoſition, There is in every man a conſci…nce.