Two Sermons 2, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON: Wherein is taught, how to vſe a good CONSCIENCE.
HEB. 13. 18.
Pray for vsus, for we truſt we hauehave a good Conſcience in all things willing to liue honeſtly.
THE ſecond thing followes. Paul hauing gotten a good Conſcience, emproues it, and makes his benefit of it, partly for the remouing of aſperſions, partly for the obtaining of praiers, and the engratiating of himſelfe with the Hebrewes. The point.
They that hauehave good Conſciences, muſt make their vſe of them. Doct. 1.This point calls more for practice then for proofe; therefore we will be larger there, briefer heere. Firſt, God calls vsus to this duty, Eſa. 5. Iudge, ye inhabitants, &c. 3.— as if he had faid, I appeale to your Conſciences, who will be of vſe in this caſe to you, if you will vſe them: Cap. 1. & 2.ſo Haggai, Conſider, faith God, with your ſelues, compare time with time, thing with thing, how well you ſhall ſpeed if you will be ruled by me, how ill you hauehave ſped whileſt negligent of me: and accordingly reſolue, as if he had ſaid, If you would but reflect vponupon your ſelues, and conſult your owne Conſciences, reformation would follow. So alſo Pſal. 4. Pſal. 4.4Talke with your owne hearts; as if he ſhould ſay, Doe but aske your owne Conſciences? Is not this Gods doing? Did not God preferre Danid? Doth not hee maintaine his Titles? Would wee our ſelues reape that meaſure that we offer him? And then ye will be quiet. Thus often in the new Teſtament: 1 Cor. 11. &.Examine your ſelues, 2 Cor. 13. &c.Iudge your ſelues, Trie your ſelues, Bethinke your ſelues: Reu. 2. All comes to this, Turne your thoughts vponupon your ſelues, and make vſe of your inward light, that is, Conſeience. Thus the precept is cleare, the practice thereof much vrged; the neglect thereof, as much condemned, Ier. 8.6. and elſe-where often.
Adde ſecondly, to the Precept of God, the practice of Gods people, in their paſſages with God and Man.
Firſt, For God: Marke Abimelech, when he was hazarded; Gen. 20. leremiah, when hee was curſed; ler. 15. Hezekiah, when hee was viſited; Eſ. 38. David, when hee was ſlandered, Pſal. 7. The Apoſtles, Acts 4. when threatned; and ſee what vſe they made of a good Conſcience. How free, quiet, bold, couragious in all thoſe exigents they were.
Secondly, and for Men, looke vponupon Ioſeph, firſt tempted, after perſecuted: vponupon Samuel reiected, vponupon Iob traduced, vponupon Paul atraigned; and ſee what benefit they made of Conſcience, now to raigne in luſts and paſſions, now to prouoke to iuſt apologies, alwayes to ſupport in greateſt preſſures.
Thirdly, from Examples, paſſe wee to Reaſons.
Firſt, Conſcience is made for vſe, Reaſons. 1.and therefore vſe muſt be made of it: The excellency of things ſtands in their vſe, the beſt things being euer moſt vſefull; now in this world there is nothing more Diuine and (as I may ſay) more God-like then Conſcience. It is a kinde of ſecondary Law and Bible, yea, in a ſort, a ſubordinate God, of ſubdiuine authority. It hath power to enforme, to record, to witneſſe, to iudge, to condemne, to abſolue, to comfort, to execute, to hang and draw within if ſelfe, as we ſpeake in other caſes; and we cannot without too too great neglect of God, who makes nothing in vaine, paſſe by ſuch an Officer and Deputy as Conſcience is, without vſe and acknowledgement.
Secondly, we take Gods Name in vaine, in neglecting Conſcience, and fruſtrare his work, and depriue our ſelues of the benefits of Conſcience; for tis not the hauing, but the vſing of abilities and bleſſings that perfects and bleſſes vsus. A power of ſeeing is to little purpoſe, if men will winke and hide themſelues in darkeneſſe. A power of ſpeaking is not much, if a man will button vp his lippes; and of as little auaile is Conſcience (that is, a power of knowing and gaging ones ſelfe) if this power be neuer acted. Verily, a man notwithſtanding this inward light, may be no better then an Atheiſt in knowledge, or Diuell in practice, vnleſſe hee emproue his light; (for light, till the Will put it to vſe, makes no man good) for dee but conſider. How (I pray) ſhall that ſoule for matters paſt euer repent, which will neuer recoyle, looke backward, or once ſay, What hauehave I done? How (againe) ſhall it ſee its preſent ſtaines and eſtate, if it will not view it ſelfe, or behold its owne face? How (thirdly) ſhall it be held back frō any ſin (fleſh, men, diuels, puſhing on) if it neuer commune with it ſelfe, ſaying, What am I doing? It were impoſſible that men ſhould either digeſt ſuch morſels as they ſwallow, or ſwallow ſuch puddle and poyſon as eftſoones they doe, would they but ſee and conſider what they doe, or hauehave done.
Thirdly, by not vſing Conſcience, wee ſhall come in time to loſe, not onelyonly the comfortable ſeruice of it (for enformation, reformation, conſolation, inſtigation, &c.) but indeed all manner vſe, and ſence of it: Vſe legges (wee ſay) and have legges; ſo, vſe Conſcience, and hauehave Conſcience; for by vſe, the heart is kept ſoft, and will ſoone ſmite vsus, as Danids did: by vſe our inward light is exercifed and ſtrengthened, and wee made able to diſcerne, Heb. 5.14. Nay, vſe and exerciſe doth both facilitate and delight; for what's done ordinarily and habitually, is done with no, ſmall content, ſure with no great contention and reluctancy: cuſtome and exerciſe make the hardeſt of works at leaſt ſufferable. On the other ſide, difuſe Conſcience, and though it continue in the roote, yet the fruit will downe. Firſt, the light of it will more and more decay, like the fire that is not blowne. Secondly, the life of it will alſo weare, (as the dull ſluggard liues not halfe ſo much as the diligent doth) and this appeares, if we conſider thoſe acts and euidences of life (Senſe and Motion.) For Senſe, a Conſcience vnconſulted, vnexerciſed, vnexamined, becomes like a ſleepy legge: when a man hath ſate long, hee feeles not his limbes, the bloud and ſpirits being ſometimes frozen and arreſted with cold, ſometimes intercepted in their paſſage by too much ſuppreſsion of that part: ſo tis with the Conſcience; firſt load it, and then let it lye ſtill without motion, and in fine it will not feele it ſelfe, but be as dead and ſenceleſſe, as brawned, yea ſeared fleſh: And this experience iuſtifies in many, whoſe conſciences lye bedridden: and looke how ſome (in that caſe of ſickneſſe) voyd much filth and feele it not: ſo theſe ſpue forth abhorred blaſphemies and outrages, and diſcerne them not. As for Motion, euen as the limbs by long ſitting grow ſtiffe and ſtarke, that we cannot goe: ſo the conſcience vnfrequented, twill ruſt like a Clocke which ſleepes a winter or two, and ſo loſes its tongue, not once telling you where you bee either in the day or night: iuſt ſo a ruſty Conſcience, twill neither counſell nor comfort, checke nor excuſe, twill ſpeake neither to matters paſt nor to come, but lie as dead within a man, as the dead childe doth within a woman: Oh tis a moſt comfortleſſe thing for a liuing woman to beare death in her bowels! ſuch a burden fils her with many feares for the preſent, at leaſt makes her too too heauy and vnweldy, and puts her to great extremity in the cloze, there being more adce with one dead birth, then with two liuing children tis no better with a dead conſcience; the leſſe that trauels, the more we muſt with feares and anguiſh; and therefore as wee call vponupon women, to ſtirre, that their fruit may be ſtirring too: ſo muſt we ftirre vp our ſelues, that Conſcience may be doing; for a dead conſeience makes but a dead eſtate, a dead heart, a dead man, a dull life; and dead it will be, vnleſſe we put it to vſe.
Now before we can proceed to exhortation, Vſe I.we cannot but bewayle and controll two ſorts of men firſt, ſuch as vtterly diſuſe, ſecondly, ſuch as ſearefully miſuſe their Conſciences. How many bee there of the firſt fort, who liue and dye ſtrangers to themſelues? They dare not for their eares aske their own hearts: What is our caſe? In what tearmes ſtand we with God? Children are we or enemies? In the wayes of life or death? Where are we? What are wee? Which way goe we? What will be the iſſue of our courſes? But looke how bankrupts put off reckonings, ſo theſe allreaſonings with themſelues. And as they keepe their ſpirituall eſtate cloſe from their owne conſciences, ſo doe they in particular actions: for, firſt, in ſhings to be done, they rather conſult others then themfelues, which is, but to ſel ones eies, and buy ſpectacles, which ſee no more then the eye enables them. Secondly, in things already done, they rather ſmother then conſult conſcience: when Conſcience takes the aduantage of ſolitarineſſe, and beginnes to queſtion them, they runne from it into company, and hide themſelues in the croude; when Conſcience beginnes a little to open its eyes and mouth after the reading of ſome booke, the hearing of ſome Sermon, the ſeeling of ſome inward or outward pinches, they ſtoppe their eares, diuert their thoughts, ſing, whiſtle, drinke, game, and doe any thing to out-talke and drowne Conſcience. This the practice of hundreds, but how ill this practice is, firſt the Cauſes, ſecondly, the Conſequences will ſhew.
The Cauſes hereof, The cauſes of this diſuſe.Firſt, Pride: Man would be ſomebody with himſelfe, and therefore is loth to looke vponupon his owne ſtaines, and to ſee his owne face in the face of his conſcience. Secondly, Hypocriſie: Man hath ſuch a deſire to coozen, that hee would (if he could) coozen himſelfe, and would faine make himſelfe beleeue that tis not ſo bad with him, as indeed it is. Thirdly, Vnbeliefe: He lookes for no mercy, in caſe he peach himſelfe, and therefore places all his ſafety in ſecrecy; and ſo ſecret would he be, that by his will, his left hand ſhall not know what his right hath done. Theſe are the cauſes: and what fruit can you in reaſon expect from ſuch a roote?
Surely the iſſue cannot but bee bitter: The conſequences.For, Firſt, by diſuſing Conſcience, men come to loſe conſcience, and conſequently their armour againſt ſinne: take away Conſcience, and you can hardly ſet downe Atheiſme. Secondly, by this meanes ſinne is exceedingly aggrauated; (for no man can neglect ſo neere a Monitor as Conſcience is, without great preſumption and wilfulneſſe:) and ſecondly, a mans reckoning no way furthered; for (doe what we can) wee muſt come to an account, and Conſcience will know vsus at laſt, whether we acknowledge it or not; nay, by how much the leſſe we regard it now, by ſo much the more it will ſhake vsus hereafter, and riſe vponupon vsus like a flame with ſo much the greater fury, by how much the more it was (for the preſent) kept downe and ſtifled.
The ſecond ſort reproued, Vſes. 1.are ſuch as abuſe conſcience, and this is done (as ſometimes otherwiſe) ſo moſtly thus:
Firſt, when Conſcience is ſet loweſt, and bound apprentice to the outward man, I meane thus; when men doe not receiue all blowes that let driue at conſcience, vponupon their name, eſtate, skinne, &c. but contrarily, rather ſuffer Conſcience to be wounded, then the outmoſt skinne rayſed.
Secondly, when Conſcience is thruſt from its ſeate, depoſed, degraded, gag'd; ſo violenced, that it muſt not ſpeake, though friends, God, man, call vponupon vsus.
Thirdly, when conſcience is made a cloke for all vnwarranted, both opinions and practices, that is, when men will put the name of conſcience vponupon the baſeſt things: Opinion ſhall bee Conſcience; Errour, Conſcience; the ſwallowing of widowes houſes, Conſcience; as twas with the Phariſees.
Fourthly, when Conſcience is made a knight of the poaſt, and muſt beare witneſſe to any vntruth, to any villany: thus when men cannot tell what to ſay, they appeale to God and Conſcience. God knowes, their hearts, their Conſcience beares them witneſſe, they'le take it on their Conſcience, tis ſo, not ſo. O the fearefulneſſe of theſe practices! how terrible hauehave Gods ſtrokes bin vponupon ſuch in all ages? and what can we looke for leſſe, then miſery in this courſe? Firſt, a man muſt be an old and bold offender, before he can dare thus to affront Conſcience. Secondly, it cannot be ſafe thus to abuſe ſo great an Officer as conſcience is. Thirdly, who can expreſſe the terrours of ſome Saints, now vponupon record, who (notwithſtanding) neuer were ſo daring? and if they did ſweare vnderunder ſmaller abuſes of Conſcience, how ſhall theſe bleed?
I now come to perſwade eueryevery man to make good vſe of a good thing, Vſe 2.a good Conſcience; for the abuſe of beſt things is euer worſt: and a good Conſcience is in the ranke of beſt things, It is a wonderfull mercy in God, to match vsus with ſo neere a friend, ſo true a Counſellor: let vsus thankefully conſider to what vſes a good conſcience may be put, and accordingly emproue it. We will not runne into the road of conſcience in generall, but confine our ſelues to a good Conſcience, which is ſo tearmed in a double ſence.
Firſt, Its good formally in its conſtitution.Conſcience how tearmed good.
Secondly, effectiuely in its execution: as a Clocke is good when it is made well and goes well: firſt, the Conſcience is good in its ſelfe, when it is fitted for its proper acts and vſes: the proper and immediate act and vſe of Conſcience, is to know that it knowes, as Salomon ſpeakes to Shimei, and as wee vulgarly ſay, I know what I know well enough. This the generall. The particulars of this knowledge are, firſt, conſcience knowes what we be: ſecondly, what we doe: what we be ſpiritually (not naturally) and in what tearmes we ſtand with God; whether we beare his Image, be in his fauour, yea, or no? what we doe either for ſubſtance or quality, good or bad, either in times paſt, preſent, or to come: theſe things Conſcience was made for, and theſe the conſcience, when it is good, doth know, to wit, both tree and fruit in the inward and outward acts thereof: and hence it is, that we are ſo often inuited to talke with our ſelues; and hereof growes that inward confidence and enioyment, that the ſoule hath of it ſelfe, wherein it reſembles its Maker, who takes full contentment in himſelfe from his full vnderſtanding of himſelfe. The ſecond act of a good Conſcience is ſpeaking or manifeſting good to vsus, being good in it ſelfe, it giues vsus due information touching our ſelues; as a cleere glaſſe repreſents a true face: and heere are two acts alſo: Firſt and more immediately it reports things as they be, which is called witneſſing or giuing in euidence: thus the perſon being vnderunder mercy, it tels him ſo much, hauing already done well, or hauing good things in agitation, it ſaith ſo.
Contrarily, when things be not right, Conſcience ſpeakes as it finds them, and heerein it doth well; for we ſpeake of a Morall, not Naturall good: and morally that Conſcience is good, that ſpeakes the truth how-euer it be: as thats a good glaſſe that reports blemiſhes (if ſuch) as well as beauties; a good Witneſſe that ſpeakes the truth, though not what pleaſes. Secondly, Conſcience ſtrikes vponupon the affections, and doth ſome execution vponupon the offender; for from information of eſtate, ariſes either certainty of hope or deſpaire: as the euidence comes in guilty or not guilty, and from information of workes, different affections and motions anſwerable to their different natures: from things well done, comes comfort, ioy, boldneſſe, &c. ill done, ſhame, feare, ſorrow, remorce: from things well intended, courage, reſolution, confidence, &c. ill meant, (for the future) iealouſie, repining, recoyling, as an horſe that would and would not leape a ditch. In the former reſpect, Conſcience is compared to a Witneſſe, in this, to a Iudge and executioner.
Now this being the vſe of Conſcience, wee muſt employ it to theſe vſes; namely, repaire to Conſcience, aske its aduice, receiue its report touching our perſons and actions, heare what it can ſay for or againſt vsus now; for once it muſt paſſe a verdict vponupon vsus; and when we hauehave its teſtimony, wee muſt either appeale to an higher Court (if we can ſhew an errour) or ſit downe by its ſentence, ſtop, where it ſayes ſtop, worke, where it ſayes worke, feare, where it ſaies feare, hope, where he giues hope, reſtore, where it ſayes, reſtore.
VVhen and in what caſes conſcience muſt moſt be conſulted.Howbeit, that our ſpeech may be more fruitfull, know we that in foure caſes eſpecially, we are to conſult and vſe Conſcience.
Firſt, when wee are in conſultation about things to be done, or beleeued; in this caſe it is not amiſſe to aduiſe with others, but in no caſe muſt Conſcience be omitted.
I may eaſily deceiue others by ill ſtating of the queſtion, adding, or altering, or ſuppreſſing, as affection leads me: againe, a man may finde ſo many men, ſo many mindes oftentimes, ſo different are their apprehenſions and affections. But a good conſcience is one and the ſame, and that vprightly conſulted, can ſay more to my affections and intentions, more to the practicall part, then all the world.
Therefore vſe others if you pleaſe, but make vſe of your owne hearts, elſe your practice may be corrupt, when others counſell is good. Here forget not theſe rules: Firſt, pretend not Conſcience, where Conſcience is not the matter. Secondly, be reſolued of what thou doeſt in thy ſelfe, or elſe forbeare till taught, if thou mayeſt. Thirdly, walke by thine owne light, not other mens; ground thy practice vponupon Conſcience, Conſcience vponupon Word, not vponupon Man. As for caſes here incident, we paſſe them now.
Secondly, when we are vponupon a ſelfe-triall, and the queſtion is, either of our ſtate, or our doings, or opinions, conſult conſcience; for that is the beſt created examiner. And here let the maine worke be, to ſinde out the maine point; Am I Gods childe, in ſtate of grace, yea or no? This much imports vsus; for as Satan founds all particular temptations vponupon this (If thou be the tonne of God) ſo all our particular comforts and aſſurances hang on this pinne. Therefore, here, houer not, but hold Conſcience to it, Either I am, or am not Gods. What am I? What am I? Leaue not this vnreſolued by Conſcience, as many doe, who hearing of a certainty attaineable, and of ſome generall notes of ſaluation from the Word; preſently build conſidence to themſelues, ſometimes vponupon weake principles, ſometimes vponupon falſe applications, neuer conſulting Conſcience, and then when Conſcience is awakened, they are miſerably plunged. Beloued, it is not ſo eaſie a matter to aſſure ſaluation as moſt men thinke; we are not all out of their mindes, who deny it poſſible, without extraordinary reuelations, and who hold it ſawcineſſe to auouch it; yet wee muſt tell you, that the difficulties are more then a few, and it concernes vsus much to deale much with Conſcience about this point.
For faith whereby wee beleeue ſaluation is one thing, and euidence whereby wee feele it another; there we muſt cleaue to the promiſe, but here we muſt conferre with Conſcience, as Saint Paul doth, he was ſtrongly perſwaded (by the leſuites leaue) of his ſaluation and vprightneſſe: but what are his grounds? Firſt, his Conſcience was and had beene good in all: ſecondly, his bent and resolution for the future was right; hence he did, hence we muſt aſſure our eſtates.
Secondly, as we muſt examine Conſcience about our eſtate, ſo alſo about actions paſt; was this well? did I well? ſaid I well? otherwiſe there may be deceit: For firſt, many matters lye hid from men, with their circumſtance: ſecondly, the motiues that ſet the wheele a going vſually doe; here then happy is he who condemnes not himſelfe in what he hath done.
Thirdly, when ſlandred, cenſured, or accuſed, whether by men or diuels. Thus Iob, when Satan accuſeth, when friends doe, foes doe, when good men doe, and bad men doe, he repaires homeward, caſts vp his bookes, and finding all right, hee triumphs in his Conſcience, and weares their libels as a Crowne. Like vſe muſt we make of our Conſciences, when accuſed; firſt, ſee whether the charge be iuſt; if ſo, reforme, amend: ſecondly, if not ſo, cleare thy ſelfe to men, if worth while, and if they will be ſatisfied; if not, enioy thy ſelfe, and thine owne innocency. Here the rules be two: firſt, if thine owne heart condemne thee, reioyce not againſt the truth, though all the world applaud thee: ſecondly, if (vponupon a true ſearch) thy heart acquit thee, neuer for ſake thine owne innocency: Let not men, nor diuels, nor frownes, nor cenſures robbe thee of thy comfort, but ſet this wall of braſſe againſt all, as Paul. Say what you will, my conſcience is good, and I make this good by theſe and theſe proofes.
Fourthly, when wee become ſuiters to God and man for aſſiſtance, being affronted by men and diuels, and ſeemingly deſerted of God and man, then we muſt flye to Conſcience, as Paul doth, and Dauid, and all the Saints; now calling vponupon God, as Hezekiah, O Lord, thou knoweſt I hauehave walked, &c. Now vponupon Chriſtians, as Paul, Pray for me, for I hauehave kept a, &c. Now vponupon our ſelues, with Dauid, Why art thou caſt downe, O my ſoule, &c. There is truth in thee, beare vp. And this not onelyonly for the preſent, but for future times, when we are threatned as the Apoſtles were, with many ſtormes, with much hardſhip: firſt, make good thy Conſcience: ſecondly, reſt in the comfort thereof; for come what will come, if we bring a good conſcience to a good cauſe, theſe two bladders will hold our heads aboue water. My brethren, till wee hauehave tryed, we cannot conceiue what the comfort, courage, ſtrength and reſolution of a good conſcience is; make vſe of it, enioy it, and enioy your ſelues, your eſtate, all perſons, all things, all times; onelyonly be ſure, firſt, that Conſcience be regular, that is, that it ſpeake Law, and ſentences all according to the Word written. Secondly, that it ſpeake the whole truth written, and nothing but the truth: Conſcience hath nothing to doe with ſecret counſels, that muſt ſpeake to the action or preſent eſtate; but for reprobation or finall deſtruction; that conſcience can ſay nothing to, as not reuealed; it hath nothing to doe either with abſolute condemnation, or abſolution. Let it keepe it ſelfe within its Spheare, and let me keepe my ſelfe to my time.
FJNJS.
End of the text · Robert Harris, Two Sermons 2 (1630)