A Divine Discovery of Sincerity, Part 3
2 COR. 1.12.
For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world, and more abundantly to you-wards.
THE third propoſition, which now according to order and method, comes to be handled, is this, That conſciouſneſſe to our ſelues, of the ſimplicity and ſincerity, of our converſation, will yeeld us joy in the midſt of troubles. Pauls and Timothies conſcience, giving teſtimony with them, concerning the ſimplicity and ſincerity of their converſation, made them to rejoyce in the midſt of all the troubles they underwent. For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, we have had our converſation in the world. I think the Pſalmiſt points at this truth too, where he ſaith, Ʋnto the upright there ariſeth light [in the darkneſſe,] &c. Pſal. 112.4. By the darkneſſe, I conceive he meanes troubles and injuries from wicked men, which becauſe they are more vehement then many other troubles are, the mercies of the wicked being cruelties, the Pſalmiſt elſe-where calls them, the ſorrows of hell, as here he calls them foreign the darkneſſe: now in this darkneſſe, though the darkneſſe, that is very ſharpe miſery, yet there ariſeth light in it; by light I conceive is here meant, comfort and joy from conſcience, giving teſtimony concerning their uprightneſſe, as attended with the ſpirit of glory and of God, as Peter calls the holy Spirit of conſolation. If you conceive not this Scripture plaine enough, to conſent with my Text, read Davids language in the ſeventh Pſal. 10,11. My defence is of God, which ſaveth the upright in heart. God judgeth the righteous; and God is angry with the wicked every day. As if David had ſaid, This is my comfort in the midſt of all the troubles and feares I am in, that my conſcience tells me, my converſation in the world hath beene lead according to the dictate of an upright heart, no way injurious to theſe ſonnes of Belial, which labour to be every way injurious to me; and therefore I am ſure that God, which is alwaies a defence unto the upright, will be a defence unto me: God conſiders the waies of the upright, and ſmiles upon their ſoules to their great conſolation, when the world frownes, this I ſinde by experience; but rotten wretches God is continually angry with, and this he will firſt or laſt (I am ſure) make them to know with a witneſſe. Salomon likewiſe conſents to this as a truth, to wit, That the teſtimony of conſcience concerning the ſimplicity of mans converſation, will yeeld him joy in the midſt of troubles, as we may collect from his language, Prov. 15.23. A man hath joy (ſaith he) by the anſwer of his mouth. When a man upon every occaſion ſpeakes ſincerely, conſcience within cheares and comforts a man whatſoever followes upon plaine dealing to the outward man. 'Tis me thinkes as if Salomon had ſaid, Let a man ſpeake ſincerely upon all occaſions, and he ſhall be ſure to finde his conſcience comfort him, in the midſt of all troubles that may follow upon it.
Troubles are either naturall, or accidentall. Naturall troubles I call ſuch as man is borne unto, by reaſon of ſin. By the fall of Adam, man is horne to troubles, as the ſparkes ſlie upward, Iob 5.7. to troubles in body, in ſoule, in huſband, in wife, in children, in ſervants, in kindred, in friends, in ſubſtance, in all things that are given man for his good. To the juſt as well as unjuſt, come troubles in all theſe; onelyonly here is the difference, conſciouſneſſe of ſimplicity and ſincerity ſweetens all thoſe to the godly, whereas the wicked muſt ſwallow them in their full bitterneſſe. That conſcience, which tells a man that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, he hath had his converſation in the world, will alſo tell him, that all troubles in the fleſh, ſhall worke together for the good of his Spirit; and that God will give ſtrength to beare them, and a ſeaſonable deliverance out of them; and this ſweetens theſe bitters. That conſcience, which tells a man, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, he hath ordered his converſation in the world, will tell him alſo, that 'tis a wiſe and gracious Father that doth thus, and thus afflict him; yea, conſcience now and then ſhewes the ſoule, the bright beames of Gods ſmiling countenance, that he may ſee that 'tis indeed a reconciled father which doth afflict; and this like Jonathans honey revives much, and fetches life in ſwooning fits, under great troubles. That conſcience which told Iob that he was ſincere, told him alſo in the midſt of all his troubles, that his Redeemer lived, and he ſhould ſee him, with his fleſhly eyes: moreover it told him, that when God had tryed him, that ſhe ſhould come forth as gold. This ſugared his bitter potion, and ſweetned every bitter drugge he took. The like may be ſaid of David; his conſcience told him that he was upright, and this conſcience told him alſo, that God was his God; Thou art my God, and I will praiſe thee: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. Pſal. 118.28. and that God would light his candle, and enlighten his darkneſſe *Pſ. 18.28.: that is, turne all his ſorrowes into joy, and his troubles into advantages; and this made every burthen eaſie. Thus we ſee, that conſciouſneſſe to our ſelves of the ſimplicity of our courſe, yeelds comfort in all troubles for ſinnes ſake, which I call naturall troubles.
Troubles cauſed by religion and religious walking, which I call accidentall troubles, becauſe by accident not of its proper nature, religion exaſperates wicked men againſt us, theſe I conceive my text principally points at; and as for all theſe, though the fierceſt kind of troubles, and therefore called by David, the ſorrowes of hell, yet if a Chriſtian hath but the voice of conſcience with him, that he hath walked ſimply & ſincerely in the world, this will keepe his head above water, though theſe waves be never ſo tempeſtuous: this will make a man ſing in a dungeon at midnight, as Paul and Silas did: this will make a man ſmile in fiery flames, as many of the Martyrs did: this will make a man alwaies rejoyce, in the midſt of all ſorrowes: as ſorrowfull, yet alwaies rejoycing, 2 Cor. 6.10. Sorrowfull alwaies were the Apoſtles of Chriſt, ſuch hard uſage they alwaies met withall from the world, for the Goſpels ſake; and yet in the midſt of all, joyfull, becauſe of that ſweet peace which their conſciences ſpoke unto them, that they were not ſuch as the world judged them to be, but were ſimple and ſincere in life and doctrine; and ſo this Scripture ſounds the ſame in ſenſe and ſubſtance with my text: For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God we have had our converſation in the world.
You have ſeene now, in what troubles the teſtimony of conſcience, concerning a mans ſimplicity, will rejoyce a Chriſtian. I will in the next place ſhew you, what rejocying 'tis that the teſtimony of conſcience will yeeld a man in trouble. Joy is either ſenſuall, or ſpirituall. Senſuall joy is a meere and naked joy in the creature, ſo farre as it pleaſeth the ſenſes. Of this joy ſpeakes Solomon, where he ſaith, that he with-held his heart from no joy, Eccl. 2.10. That is, any thing that might delight any ſenſe, he got to him: he had men ſingers and women ſingers, and all the delights of the ſonnes of men. Thus to order a mans converſation, is to live ſenſually and not ſincerely; and therefore conſcience gives teſtimony againſt this man, and not with him; and ſo conſequently checks and curbs this joy, and not cauſeth it: conſcience dampes this mirth much, by griping the ſpirit now and then, in the midſt of laughter.
Spirituall joy, is the ſoules rejoycing in God, as reconciled in Chriſt.
Spirituall joy, is the ſoules] rejoycing in God, &c. Divine joy is therefore called ſpirituall, becauſe the ſubject of it is a ſpirit, and the object of it is a ſpirit, and all the manifeſtations of it ſpirituall. The ſubject of divine joy, is the ſpirit of man. Divine joy doth not take onelyonly the eare, or the eye, or the taſte, or the ſmell, as carnall joy doth, but the heart: Let the heart of them rejoyce, that ſeeke the Lord, Pſal. 105.3. The heart is broken for ſinne, and this is made to rejoyce in Gods mercy, as a pardoner of ſinne: the ſame bones which are broken, are made to rejoyce. Make me to heare joy and gladneſſe, that the bones which thout haſt broken may rejoyce. Pſal. 51.8. Davids heart was ſo overcharged with ſorrow, that his bones were ready to breake in his body, and in this he deſired ſome divine refreſhing, that ſo all things out of order might be quieted and compoſed againe. As ſorrow is no ſorrow, unleſſe it take the heart; ſo joy is no joy, unleſſe it warme the Spirit. And therefore ſaith David, My ſoule ſhall be joyfull in the Lord, [it] ſhall rejoyce in his ſalvation. Pſal. 35.9.
God doth honour that in man with joy, with which man honours him by obedience: now, the ſoule of the upright, obeyes God. My Soule hath kept thy teſtimonies, and I love them exceedingly, Pſal. 19.167. and therefore God made Davids ſoule to rejoyce. I delight to doe thy will, O God, yea thy Law is within my heart, Pſal. 40.8. The Law of God was within Davids heart, and therefore the joy of God was within his heart too. Hypocrits doe not with their ſoules keepe Gods teſtimonies; their righteouſneſſe is like Ephraims, an outſide righteouſneſſe that vaniſheth, and ſo anſwerably God giveth them an outſide ſuperficiall joy, that ſoone vaniſheth and periſheth. They doe not ſet their hearts aright to obey God, as David uſeth the expreſſion, Pſal. 78.8. and therefore God doth not tune and ſet their joy aright, ſo that it jarres at the beſt; their ſpirits and their faces, are not alwaies merry together; in the midſt of laughter their hearts gripe them.
Divine joy takes the ſpirit of man wholly, and oft-times immediately. Divine joy takes the ſpirit of man wholly when at loweſt. A dram, a ſparkle, the leaſt meaſure of divine joy that can be thought of, revives and makes glad the whole Spirit of man, as a drop of ſtrong water warmes the whole heart. Hence 'tis, that David when he had but a drop of divine joy, diſtilled into his heart (as 'tis but a drop of this heavenly liquor, that our weake giddy ſoules can beare, whilſt here below) preſently he breakes out as a man warmed all over: I will praiſe thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will ſhew forth all thy marvellous workes, Pſal. 9.1. The like phraſe you ſhall finde David often ſpeaking in. David found his whole heart warmed by thoſe ſparkles of divine joy, which God ſtrooke in his darke dolorous heart, and this fetcht life in him ſtill, when ready to faint and ſwoon, and then all he returned to God againe, which he gave him; God warmed his whole heart with joy, and he returned his whole heart to God in thankeſgiving. Divine joy warmes all that is within, and all that is without, ſoule and body, and ſets both at worke to praiſe God. Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoule, and all that is within me praiſe his holy name. Pſal. 103.1. All that was within David, was warmed with divine joy, and therefore all that was within him, he would have ſhould returne thankes and praiſe unto the Lord. Elſewhere, he cals upon all without him. And my ſoule ſhall be joyfull in the Lord, it ſhall rejoyce in his ſalvation: this is for all within him: then in the next verſe ſaith he, All my bones ſhall ſay, Lord who is like unto thee. Pſal. 35.9,10. Divine joy warmes all that is within a man, and all that is without: it warmes Spirit, fleſh, and bones; the whole man, and ſets all on fire to praiſe the Lord.
As divine joy takes the Spirit wholly, ſo it oft-times ſeiſes upon the Spirit immediately; breaking forth in the heart as lightning, without any certaine knowne medium, by which to come into the ſoule. David doth darkly hint this, where he ſaith, Rejoyce the ſoule of thy ſervant, for unto thee, O Lord doe I lift up my ſoule, Pſal. 86.4. Thou needeſt not this to ſpeake in, or that creature to worke by, to revive a drooping Spirit, as if the Pſalmiſt had ſaid, thou canſt put joy and gladneſſe into the ſad ſoule of man, by thine owne immediate worke, as well as if forty Miniſters were imployed: this I beleeve, that none without thee can rejoyce me, but thou without any other canſt doe it; and therefore unto thee, doe I lift up my ſoule. Sometimes God doth worke by ſecondary meanes and inferiour inſtruments, to rejoyce the ſoules of mourning ſinners, as David would have comforted Hanun by his meſſengers: at other times, he will make uſe of none but his owne Spirit, to beare witneſſe with our ſpirits, that we are the Sonnes of God, and walke before him as obedient children, and ſo rejoyces the ſoules of his people in troubles. Thus did God rejoyce the ſoule of Paul and Timothy, in their troubles and ſorrowes: by the Almighty worke of his Spirit, he aſſured their ſpirits, that they were his, and that their waies were pleaſing to him; which made them thus to ſpeake, in the midſt of miſeries, Our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world, &c.
Secondly, divine joy is called ſpirituall, becauſe the object of it is a ſpirit. The object of divine joy is God, who is a Spirit, ſaith John. Divine joy hath God for its immediate object, and all other good things as beames of this Sunne, as ſtreams from this fountaine, as mediat objects comming from, and relating to God. God alone is the object of divine joy. Moſt true 'tis, that God hath alwaies in his right hand Heaven; and in his left hand earth, to wit, all the Kingdomes of this world, to beſtow upon whom he will; but had he neither, or would he part with neither, to any beſide himſelfe, but keepe all in his owne hand, yet an upright man would joy in him, and deſire no better object to let out his affections upon. Although the Figge tree ſhall not bloſſome, neither ſhall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the Olives ſhall faile, and the field ſhall yeeld no meate, the flocke ſhall be cut off from the folds, and there be no herd in the ſtalles, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my ſalvation, ſaith the Prophet, Hab. 3.17,18. Habakkuk will riſe in judgement againſt a thouſand thouſand ſoules, which would never judge God worthy to be lookt after, muchleſſe delighted in, if he had not Corne and Wine, Heaven and Earth to beſtow upon his favorits. This text I conceive is a plaine teſtimony, that God alone is the object of divine joy: that is, not God as very wealthy, and very bountifull, but as very holy, and an abſolute compleat being, above all things beſide him. This was Pauls joy, to wit, in God alone, as he whom his conſcience told him, he ſerved ſincerely, though weakely.
Upright men eye the divine rule in their rejoycing, as well as in all other things. Now the divine rule of joy, is, that it ſhould be bounded and terminated in God. Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous, Pſal. 97.12. This rule is repeated againe and againe in Scripture, to note how apt we are to rejoyce in creatures, and ſinnes which are worſe then any creatures, and not in God: as alſo to note, how ſtrictly God lookes at this, that we ſhould make him onelyonly the object of our joy, and all other good things, as beames of this Sunne, as bleſſings from his hand; and ſo conſequently to rejoyce ſtill, as long as we have communion with God, and our conſciences witneſſing with us that we ſincerely ſerve him, though we have nothing elſe in the world beſide him, as Paul and Timothy did. For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world, &c.
Thirdly, divine joy is called ſpirituall, becauſe all the manifeſtations of it are ſpirituall. They that have this joy in their hearts, do not let their tongues ſing ribaldry and vanity, ſuch as fleſh and blood delights in, but they ſing in the waies of the Lord, Pſal. 138.5. That, is, they rejoyce in divine things, to be thinking, and ſpeaking of, and walking in, the waies of the Lord. 'Twas Pauls and Timothies matter of joy, that they could walke ſincerely in the waies of the Lord, and this they humbly gloried in. Such as have the joy of the Lord in their hearts, their tongues ſpeake, and ſing, in ſuch a manner, that God is extolled and magnified, according to one attribute or another, which is making melody to God, as the Apoſtle termes it. As here in my text, the Apoſtles ſo expreſſed divine joy, that the power and goodneſſe of the Lord were magnified, that he could and would give internall comfort, to thoſe that did ſincerely, though weakely ſerve him, when all externall comforts failed. Divine joy doth not, as carnall joy, tranſport men into drunkards, whore-maſters, wantons, libertines, and ſo turne them out of the waies of the Lord; but raiſes their ſpirits, to a higher pitch of love to God, and ſo makes them walke more ſtrictly and chearfully, in the waies of God. Divine joy makes a man rejoyce and worke righteouſneſſe, and not rejoyce and worke wickedneſſe. Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth and worketh righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 64.5. Paul & Timothy thus rejoyced, that they could worke righteouſneſſe, that they could order their converſation ſincerely, though by many handled injuriouſly. For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God, wee have had our converſation in the world, &c.
2Divine joy is the ſoules rejoycing in God [as reconciled in Chriſt.] Divine joy, as man upon earth is the ſubject of it, hath God in Chriſt for its object: that is, God as reconciled in Chriſt; for otherwiſe God is an enemy, and no man rejoyceth in an enemy. And not onelyonly ſo, but we alſo rejoyce in God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have received the attonement. Rom. 5.11. We cannot joy immediately in God, as Adam could, becauſe of our ſinne in Adam, which made God angry with us: we muſt now have ſome to interpoſe betweene God and us, in whom is made up, what is wanting in us, and ſo Gods anger againſt us appeaſed: and therefore 'tis, that the Apoſtle thus ſpeakes in the perſon of the godly, we joy in God [through] our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by whom we have received the attonement. This is ſweetly ſet forth alſo unto us, under metaphoricall termes by the Prophet Iſaiah. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my ſoule ſhall be joyfull in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of ſalvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteouſneſſe, as a Bride-groome decketh himſelfe with ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth her ſelfe with Jewels, Iſa. 61.10. God as cloathing us with the garments of ſalvation, and as covering us with a robe of righteouſneſſe, is the object of joy to fallen man; and thus we know, he doth in Chriſt. God freely reveales an infinite love to man in Chriſt, and this begets love to him, and joy in him. He waſhed away all our ſinnes in Chriſts blood, covers all our wants with Chriſts righteouſneſſe, ſubjects his Sonne to ſuffer what we had deſerved, and to merit for us, all that from which we were juſtly excluded, to wit, communion with God, and eternall life. This love, God ſheads abroad in the heart of man, and this makes man love God, and joy in him. God out of Chriſt, is no other but a condemner of man: conſcience ſo apprehending God, is no other but a tormentour of man: and man betweene both theſe is in no other but Hell: and there is no joy in Hell. God in Chriſt reconciles man to himſelfe, and then God joyes in man, and man in God. The blood of Chriſt makes peace betweene God and man, and betweene man and his conſcience; and makes God acquit, and conſcience acquit: God to ſpeake peace, though man be not perfect; conſcience to ſpeake peace, though man walke weakely, yet whilſt ſincerely; and this makes divine ioy in the heart, in the midſt of all troubles, naturall or accidentall. For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world, &c.
You have had a briefe hint now, by what hath beene ſaid, what that joy is, which the teſtimony of conſcience brings to the ſoule, to wit, a conciliatory joy, as I may fitly call it. A joy of peace and friendſhip, betweene God and man, and betweene man and himſelfe, to wit, conſcience. Conſcience tels that man which walkes ſincerely, that he for his part is at peace with him; and that God is the like, though men and divels be at variance with him; and that he ſhall have favours ſpirituall and temporall, here and eternally hereafter, ſay and doe all his enemies what they can; and this makes the heart of man leape within him, in the midſt of troubles, as the babe in Elizabeths wombe, when ſhe heard the ſalutation of Mary. Our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world.
Having ſhewed you in what troubles, the teſtimony of conſcience will give joy; and what joy 'tis that conſcience cauſeth in the ſoule, I will in the next place ſhew you the ground of the point, why the teſtimony of conſcience, concerning a mans ſimplicity, muſt needs cauſe joy in the midſt of troubles. This teſtimony of conſcience is attended with a glorious power, as the Apoſtle calls it, foreign according to the glorious power of him, ſaith the originall, that is, of the holy Ghoſt, which makes the teſtimony ſo ſtrong, and ſo tranſcendently comfortable, that troubles and ſorrows for ſincerity ſake, though never ſo great, cannot poſſibly over-beare the heart. Strengthned with all might according to [his glorious power] unto all patience and long ſuffering, with joyfulneſſe. 1 Col. 11. There is a glorious power, attending the teſtimony of conſcience, extended to upright ſoules, in times of great troubles for uprightneſſe ſake, which ſtrengthens them with all might, ſo that all burdens cannot depreſſe them; unto all patience and long ſuffering, ſo that they will never be weary, and out of breath with bearing; and to doe all this with joyfulneſſe, ſo that no outward hardſhip, can utterly exhauſt joy out of their ſpirits. Now, the teſtimony of conſcience concerning our ſimplicity and ſincerity, being attended with this glorious power in times of trouble, as Peter ſaith, 'tis, the ſpirit of glory and of God reſts upon ſuch, it muſt needs keepe up the dolorous ſpirit of man, and make him rejoyce in the greateſt troubles. Paul and Timothy doubtleſſe found this glorious power, attending the teſtimony of their conſcience, ſtrengthning them with all might, unto all patience and long ſuffering with joyfulneſſe, which made them thus to ſay, For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world.
2Secondly, the teſtimony of conſcience concerning mans ſimplicity and ſincerity, muſt needs rejoyce a man, in the midſt of all troubles, becauſe conſcience now minds a man, that he walkes in the midſt of all enemies and troubles, juſt as Chriſt did. There was no guile found in Chriſts mouth, though he was put to it againe and againe: Whatever he underwent from his Father, from the divell, and his children, yet ſtill he walked ſincerely, and faultered not in the leaſt kind, for the greateſt advantage, though he was proffered all the kingdomes in the world, to doe it. Now, when conſcience tells a man, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, he hath had his converſation in the world, it doth at once tell him, that he hath walked in this world, juſt as Chriſt did. As he was, ſo art thou in this world, O my ſoule; which cannot but rejoyce the heart, in the midſt of the ſharpeſt afflictions for Chriſts ſake. Thy Saviour, O my ſoule, though God, yet was called a divell, nay Beelzebub the prince of divels; though temperate, yet called a drunkard and Wine-bibber, and companion to Publicans and Harlots; though a man without guile, yet called a deceiver; though innocent, yet ſcoffed, impriſoned, condemned, and executed as a malefactour. 'Tis juſt thus with thee O my ſoule: thou art ſtudious to walke uprightly, and yet cenſured for an hypocrit: thou laboureſt to be better then any, and yet the world judges thee to be worſe then any: thou laboureſt more for humility and love, then for all the wealth in the World, and yet the World judges thee to be fuller of pride, and malice, then any man: thou doſt not blow a Trumpet, when thou giveſt almes, but hideſt from thy left hand, what thy right hand doth, and therefore the world thinks that thy religion towards God, is without mercy towards man: thou thinkeſt no evill to others, but laboureſt to doe good to all, and yet all almoſt thinke evill, or ſpeake evill, or doe evill againſt thee. In this, O my ſoule, thou art not alone, 'twas the condition of thy Saviour; therefore mourne not, O my ſoule, but rejoyce, according to the divine rule, that thou art made like him. Thus the teſtimony of conſcience concerning a mans ſincerity, brings in matter of comfort and joy to the ſoule of man, in the midſt of troubles, and makes it ſmile, when under heavy burthens of cruelty.
Laſtly, it muſt needs be, that the teſtimony of conſcience concerning the ſimplicity of a mans converſation, ſhould miniſter joy in the midſt of troubles, becauſe ſuch plainely ſee their intereſt, in the divine word of conſolation. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoyce ye righteous, and ſhout for joy all ye that are upright in heart, Pſal. 32.11. Conſcience now tels me that I am upright in heart; and that in ſimplicity and uprightneſſe I have had my converſation in the world; and ſo conſequently that joy here, as well as hereafter, belongs to me. Out of this reaſoning, betweene conſcience and the divine word of conſolation, joy will breake forth in the ſoule firſt or laſt, lade an upright man with what burthens you will. Rejoyce all ye that are upright in heart, ſaith God: thou art upright in heart, ſaith conſcience to a ſincere ſoule; and conſcience will not ſtay here, but will preſſe upon the ſoule to apply his owne mercies; why then doſt not thou rejoyce? Doſt thou thinke it a ſmall matter, to diſobey a command of God? This preſſing language of conſcience, will make a ſincere ſoule ſtrive hard, and pray hard, to reioyce in afflictions for Chriſts ſake, according to the divine rule, which prayer God will heare, and bring the upright foule at laſt, to ſay in the midſt of troubles, with theſe champions in my text, For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſedome, but by the grace of God we have had our converſation in the world.
Having given you the point and the grounds of it, a word or two I would ſpeake, by way of application, to you that are unſound, and then a word more to you that are ſincere, and ſo conclude this point. This doctrine may in the firſt place ſerve to unfold a riddle, to you that are unſound. Poſſibly you may wonder, to ſee a man goe reioycing to priſon, and to fire and fagot, eſpecially when cenſured by learned men, for ſuch and ſuch a malefactour: you it may be thinke of ſuch a man, as he of Paul, that he is mad and merry without cauſe, as bedlams are; or elſe that he laughs from the teeth outward, as he that would put a good face upon an ill matter. No, no, doe not iudge ſo uncharitably, it may be this man hath meat to eate, which ye know not of. It may be he hath his conſcience teſtifying within, that he hath walked in all uprightneſſe, and is not ſuch a one, as the world hath cenſured him to be; and this makes him reioyce, in the midſt of all troubles. 'Twas wonderfull to Nebuchadnezzar, to ſee the three children walke in the fiery furnace, as if they had been walking in his ſtately walkes; becauſe he was not aware that they ha… ſuch a divine comfortable companion, as they had. So 'tis wonderfull to blind worldlings, to ſee men ſo chearfull in ſuffering for trifles in religion (as they call them) and the reaſon is, becauſe they know not that divine comforter conſcience, wch is continually within them, & unto them, a feaſt. This is to walke ſincerely, to be tender to obey all Gods will, and this conſcience tels the ſoule, in the midſt of all the troubles he undergoes, from men of corrupt minds, and large conſciences; and this language of conſcience, being attended with the glorious power of the holy Ghoſt, as a comforter, this ſoule cannot but reioyce, though bleeding upon a Pillory, groaning upon a Racke, dying upon a Croſſe, and condemned by wiſe men for a foole, in ſtanding out in ſuch ſmall matters.
Secondly, as this doctrine tells you blinde ſoules, the reaſon why ſome are ſo chearfull, under great troubles, for ſmall things; ſo it tels you that are a little more growne in hypocriſie and wickedneſſe, that your deſigne againſt the godly is fruſtrate. The maine deſigne of the divell and his children, in all the troubles he puts them to, is, to deprive them of all ioy and comfort, & to make their being upon earth hell, which is a place without all conſolation. Now this they can never doe, for as much as they cannot deprive them of the peace of conſcience, and ioy of the holy Ghoſt, which goe hand in hand, in an upright heart. True it is, if all the ioy of the godly, did conſiſt in outward things, as wicked mens ioy doth, then poſſibly they might ſerve the godly, as God will one day ſerve them, to wit, utterly ſtrip them of all conſolation; but the leaſt part of an upright mans ioy, conſiſts in externall things; his prime ioy is within, from conſcience and the holy Ghoſt which keepe company alwaies with it; and theſe two, all the wicked men upon earth, nor all the Divels in Hell, cannot ſuſpend, muchleſſe ſilence from ſpeaking comfort to an upright heart. Conſcience will ſtill ſay this within, that he which ſo walkes as before mentioned, is upright; when men and divels without, ſay, that he is an hypocrit, a diſſembler, and not worthy to live. And the Holy Ghoſt will ſtill ſecond this language of conſcience, by ſpeaking over the ſame againe: in ſuch glorious expreſſions, and with ſuch ſweetned words, will the ſpirit of God, beare witneſſe with the ſpirit of man, that doe what you will to this man, he will ſtill, notwithſtanding all, rejoyce. Caſt him into priſon; nay, caſt him into a dungeon, a dirty dungeon, as Jeremies was; nay, caſt him into a fiery Furnace; into a fiery Furnace heat ſeven times-hotter then ordinary, Give his backe to the ſmiters, and his cheeks to them that plucke off the haire, as the Prophet ſpeakes, Iſa. 50.6. doe what you will to him, yet you will never deprive him of his joy. As long as breath is in his noſtrils, conſcience will comfort him; and when this is gone, by thy cruelty, he will be in fulneſſe of joy; and in the fuller, by how much the more cruelty thou haſt inflicted on him. The joy of conſcience, is proportioned to what we ſuffer, for conſcience; as the afflictions of Chriſt, abound in us, ſo ſhall our joyes both here and hereafter. And therefore doe not breake your ſleepe and your braines, to plot miſchiefe againſt the upright, for they will have more joy in ſuffering cruelty, then you can have in inflicting it. You doe but leſſen your owne joy, to encreaſe theirs. The more terrible you are unto them, the more ſhall the teſtimony of conſcience be attended, with a glorious Spirit of conſolation, which will make them rejoyce and be exceeding glad, under all that you can inflict; and this will exceedingly vex you.
Thirdly, this doctrine will acquaint you with this truth. That if conſciouſnes of ſincerity, will leſſen and ſweeten troubles, by giving joy to the upright in the midſt of them; conſciouſneſſe of hypocriſie and unſoundneſſe, muſt needs imbitter all troubles, and make them more preſſing and piercing, upon you that are halters, and time-ſervers: this was that which Iobs friends drove at, in all their diſcourſes with him, to bring him to ſorrow doubly and trebly, for as much as all his outward miſeries, were attended (as they conceived) with inward rottenneſſe: intimating, and that truly, that it muſt be ſo, and will be ſo with all hypocrits, when conſcience is once throughly awakened, to tell them of their unſoundneſſe, under afflictions. What a terrible ſting will this be, to a man in poverty, when his conſcience ſhall tell him. Thou haſt ſhuffled and ſhifted baſely to get wealth, and yet by all thy unjuſt waies, thou canſt skarce keepe a cue above a begger. This blunt language of conſcience, will be ſuch an addition of ſorrow to poverty, as will exceed the preſſure of poverty, when at greateſt. What a ſting will this be to a man in diſgrace, when his conſcience ſhall tell him, Thou haſt beene a time-ſerver; one that haſt ſtudied to humour and pleaſe men, more then God, that thou mighteſt get honour, and keepe honour in the world, and yet for all thy dog-like fauning and flattering, thou ſtinkeſt in the noſtrils of all, and art caſt unto the dung-hill as unſavory ſalt. What a ſting will this be to a man in ſickneſſe and death, when his conſcience ſhall tell him, that he hath beene but an out-ſide Chriſtian, all the daies of his life; a man zealous about humane inventions and bodily exerciſes, to give God the outſide, and careleſſe to worſhip God in ſpirit and truth: this cloſe language of conſcience, will paine a man more then any ſickneſſe, or death can doe. This was that which ſtung Balaam worſe then death, that his conſcience told him, he had beene but an hypocrit all his life. This made Judas hang himſelfe, after he had ſold his maſter for money, for as much as his conſcience told him then ſtrongly, that he had beene but an hypocriticall follower of Chriſt, from the firſt to the laſt. And thus would every rotten wretch doe or worſe, in every little trouble, if God ſhould not admirably ſtep in, and reſtraine and hinder, ſo terrible is the ſting of conſcience, when it teſtifies againſt a man, and ſuch deepe additions of griefe it bringeth to the ſoule, in every calamity. Sharpe arrowes and coales of Iuniper, conſcience ſhooteth and kindleth in the ſoule of man, in every trouble, when it teſtifieth againſt him, as the Pſalmiſt uſeth the expreſſions, in relation to the hypocrit, the man concerning whom I here treat of, Pſal. 120.4.
Wherefore I would exhort all you, that are unſound at heart, to beg upright hearts at the hands of God, that you may walke uprightly, and ſo have the teſtimony of conſcience with you, to rejoyce you in all your troubles. You labour by hooke and by crooke to get wealth to ſtand by you, and to comfort you in troubles; and this will prove gravell in your bellies to torture you, as Salomon affirmeth, ſo farre will it be from comforting you in troubles. The teſtimony of conſcience concerning your ſincerity, is better then all the wealth in the world, to ſtand by you and to revive you in troubles. You flatter and faune, turne and wind, ſhuffle and ſhift, to get great men to be your friends to ſtand by you, and to comfort you in troubles; and alaſſe their favour is a vapour; as unconſtant as the wind. Walke ſincerely, and conſcience will be a faithfull friend for you to the death; yea, after death, in judgement. If thou hadſt the favour of all the Princes in the world, yet could not they procure for thee a dram of comfort in ſicknes, in death, or in judgment: conſcience in all theſe times can, and will procure for thee, not onelyonly drams, but flaggons of conſolation, if thou walke ſincerely. Conſcience is an incomparable friend, or foe, in ſickneſſe, death, and judgement.
The blindneſſe and folly of man above all other creatures, is much to be wondred at; he hunts after things which are not, as Salomon ſaith, to be comforters to him, and takes no paines to procure that, which will indeed be ſtable and abiding comfort to him, in all ſtates. Riches, and honours, and friends, all the things of this life, they are, called by Solomon, things that are not, becauſe they are not ſuch things, as the blind heart of man conceives them to be: he thinkes they are ſufficient to make him happy, and they are not ſo. The leaſt fit of ſickneſſe, will non-plus all theſe things, for reviving the ſoule. Vaine man like that foole, thinkes that he hath comfort enough for many yeares; that is, for all his life, when he hath great revenews in the world, and therefore ſings a requiem to his ſoule, as if there needed no other thing, to the tranquillity of the Spirit, throughout a mans life, but wordly things; and alaſſe! theſe things are not abiding, but ſtill upon the wing, ready to flee from us; and if they were abiding, yet they are not ſatiſfying; and therefore Solomon calls them vanity and vexation, to the Spirit. Conſcience is a laſting friend, and a ſubſtantiall friend, to the ſpirit of man. A friend that hath ſuch waters of life, which will revive the ſoule in the greateſt extremities; and he is a fountaine made by God, that will never wax dry; So that the ſoule, as long as ſhe keepes her ſelfe ſincere, ſhall never be without a ſpring of joy, boiling up day and night, within her.
And this joy is not a low priſed commodity, a thing little worth: 'tis called in Scripture, a joy of the Lord, ſuch a joy of God, as is the ſtrength of man. When the Levits had opened the Law unto the people, their conſciences were awakened, and ſmote them ſo, that they wept, ſaith the text, and weakened and unfitted themſelves, for the duties of the day; and therefore the Levits were faine to comfort them, that conſcience might take hold on ſomething, to worke joy in them, which is the ſtrength of the ſoule, unto the duty of thankſgiving, which was the ſpeciall worke of that day. As an accuſing condemning conſcience, ſecretly conſumes ſpirits and ſtrength of ſoule and body; and when attended onelyonly with a legall ſpirit, begets ſuch a horrid griefe in the heart of man, as unfits for the higheſt and nobleſt ſervice of God: So an acquitting conſcience, doth exhilarate and revive the ſoule; and as being attended with an evangelicall ſpirit, begets ſuch a joy in the heart, as tunes & ſtrengthens it, unto all divine duties, eſpecially unto thankeſgiving, which is the higheſt & hardeſt divine leſſon, that can be played upon the heart of fallen man, but makes the ſweeteſt melody in the eares of God, of all divine leſſons committed to man, to learne. If thou then wouldſt be a ſweet ſinger in Iſrael, a man apt and able to that which God moſt loves, walke ſo that conſcience may ſtill be an acquitter within thee: if this accuſe and condemne thee, 'twill put every ſtring in thy heart out of tune; conſume thy ſpirits, & make thy living a continuall dying, & yet death undeſirable.
Secondly, divine joy is called in Scripture an exceeding joy. I am exceeding jayfull in all our tribulations, ſaith Paul, 2 Cor. 7.4. The joy which conſcience gives to an upright man in all tribulations for uprightneſſe ſake, is an exceeding joy; a joy that doth farre more take, content, and delight the ſoule, then any other joy can doe: ſo the Apoſtle explaines this clauſe, by that which goes before it in the ſame verſe. I am [filled] with comfort (ſaith he) I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulations. Conſcience gives ſuch a joy to the ſoule in tribulations, that ſils the ſoule with comfort, which is more then all the ſweets and delights of this world can doe. The delights of this life they doe not reach the ſoule of man; they reach no further then the externall ſenſes, ſo farre are they from filling the ſoule with comfort; and yet they doe not fill nor ſatisfie theſe neither: for the eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the eare with hearing, nor the noſe with ſmelling, nor the tongue with taſting, nor the hand with handling. 'Tis but a tyring, and not a ſatisfying joy, that all outward things bring to the outward ſenſes. That joy which onelyonly the externall ſenſes bring into the ſoule, Salomon calls madneſſe, as not worthy of the name of joy, becauſe it reaches not the ſpirit of man as rationall, but as meerely ſenſitive. The joy which conſcience brings into the ſoule, doth not barely reach the ſoule, but it filles it and ſatisfies it. My ſoule ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſſe, & my mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joy full lips; when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate upon thee in the night watches, Pſal. 63.5.6. If thou wilt live all thy daies, with the joy of a bruit, with a meere ſenſuall outſide, ſpiritleſſe, vaine, vexing joy, then thou needs not take paines to order thy converſation ſincerely, to get thy conſcience to teſtifie wth thee; but if thou wouldſt live all thy daies in the joy of a man that beares the Image of God, then muſt thou ſtrive ſo to walke, that conſcience may beare witnes that thou art ſincere.
The Scripture doth not ſtay here, but calls divine joy everlaſting; which is an attribute ſo high, that it leads us neceſſarily to the originall, to wit, God, who is everlaſting. As hell is a place of everlaſting ſorrow to all that be in it, becauſe a river of Brimſtone from an everlaſting fountaine, runnes to it; ſo heaven which is begun in joy upon earth, to wit, in the hearts of the upright, 'tis everlaſting; becauſe freſh ſtreames of conſolation continually come from an everlaſting fountaine, to wit, God. God alwaies ſeconds conſcience in him that is ſincere, with ſuch a glorious power as Saint Paul calls it, that though he be alwaies in ſorrowes for Chriſts ſake, yet he is alwaies rejoycing: As ſorrowfull, yet alwaies rejoycing, 2 Cor. 6.10. You may many waies cauſe ſorrow to an upright man, but yet joy will live in all, and outlive all his ſorrowes. You may ſet on fire the body of an upright man, and conſume that; but you can never ſet on fire his joy and conſume that. You may various waies kill a ſincere man, but you can no way kill his joy, as long as he holds faſt his integrity. The joy that conſcience gives to the ſoule of man, upon teſtimony of his ſincerity, 'twill live in fire, 'twill live in water, 'twill live in this land, 'twill live in any land; famine cannot ſtarve it, plague cannot infect it, the ſword cannot murther it, the racke cannot teare it; 'tis very healthy, 'tis long-lived, 'twill never die: 'tis from heaven, and will abide with the ſoule untill he come to heaven; and then will be conſummated, to give full ſolace to the ſoule for ever. If then thou wouldſt have joy to ſticke bythee, in health, in ſickneſſe, in peace, in warre, in plenty, in famine, in honour, in diſgrace, in liberty, in bonds, in life, in death, and eternally after death, walke ſo that thy conſcience may ſay that thou art ſimple and ſincere in thy converſation.
The Scripture ſtayes not here, but calls divine joy unſpeakeable and full of glory. As that joy which juſt men made perfect inherit, is beyond conception, ſo that it cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive of it, ſo that joy which conſcience gives to upright men in troubles, 'tis beyond expreſſion: the tongue of man cannot fully expreſſe it. I doe not affirme that the heart of man cannot fully conceive it, though poſſibly it may be ſo. 'Tis joy unſpeakeable ſtrong: ſtronger and more vehement, then the joy of worldlings, when Corn and Wine and Oyle increaſe; and yet 'tis hard to expreſſe how much joy an earthy heart hath, in great earthly increaſe. 'Tis joy unſpeakeable ſweet; ſo that he which taſtes of this joy, taſtes no more ſweetneſſe in ſenſuall things, then in the white of an egge: 'tis ſweeter then the Honey or the Honey-combe: that is, ſweeter and more pleaſing to the ſoule, then all the delights of this life, to the carnall heart; and yet 'tis hard to expreſſe, how ſweet and pleaſing ſenſuall delights are, to the carnall heart of man.
'Tis joy unſpeakeable pure: as David ſaith, that the feare of the Lord is cleane; ſo I may ſay, that the joy of the Lord, which he gives to man upon the teſtimony of conſcience concerning his ſincerity, 'tis cleane; that is, 'tis pure, unſpeakeable pure, and holy. What was ſaid of the generation of Chriſt, that may be ſaid of the generation of divine joy. Who can declare his generation? ſaith the Scripture of Chriſt; ſo may I ſay, Who can declare the generation of divine joy? 'Tis begotten in the heart, as Chriſt was in Maries wombe, to wit, by the holy Ghoſt: 'tis ſhead abroad in the heart, by the holy Ghoſt: 'tis continually nouriſhed and cheriſhed by the holy Ghoſt. It fils the heart full of holy thoughts, the mouth full of holy words, and the hand full of holy deeds. It is immediatly from heaven, and makes a man have his converſation in heaven, whilſt on earth.
'Tis joy unſpeakeably precious: a dramme of it is more worth then the world: a damned ſoule in hell would give ten thouſand worlds, if there were ſo many, for the leaſt droppe of this cooling comforting liquor, to aſſwage his ſcorching torments, but for a moment. It hath heaven in it, with which what can be compared for worth? 'Tis joy unſpeakeable, and full of glory. The ſmiling face of God, which is more glorious then the Sunne, may be ſeene in it, ſo diaphanous is it.
'Tis joy unſpeakably laſting: whereas all other joyes die when man dies, if not long before; this joy lives, as long as the ſoule and God lives. Labour then ſo to live, that conſcience may teſtifie before God and you, that you are ſincere, and ſo leade your ſoules into that unſpeakeable joy, which will make you unſpeakeably happy.
I have now a word or two to you which walke ſincerely and uprightly in this world, & ſo I ſhut up this point. If you doe not yet finde experimentally, the truth of this point; to wit, your conſciences cauſing you to rejoyce in the midſt of your troubles, by alively teſtifying your integrity to you, then by prayer plead your integrity to God, and intreat him ſo tranſcendently to ſecond conſcience, with his glorious power which worketh in us, that your hearts may be revived under every preſſure for pieties ſake. Thus David was forc'd to doe ſometimes, to wit, pleade his integrity, to finde the benefit of it in troubles; for God will be ſought unto for every good thing, though we be never ſo ſincere. Let integrity and uprightneſſe preſerve me: for I waite on thee, Pſal. 25.21. David you ſee was put to it, to plead his integrity to God, to obtaine the benefit of it in troubles; and thus muſt we ſtill doe if we finde our hearts to droope in troubles, although we are conſcious to our ſelves of our upright and innocent converſation. Say, Lord thou knoweſt that I have walked uprightly as concerning this thing and that, about which I am troubled, and therefore doe thou ſtand up in my heart, and ſecond my conſcience by the Almighty power of thy holy Spirit, and make it ſpeak peace ſo lively and ſo gloriouſly within mee, that I may rejoyce in this tribulation for thy ſake; that I may finde my integrity, as a cordiall to me, to keepe me from fainting in my mind, and from ſtretching out tongue or hand to iniquity.
If you finde the comfortable teſtimony of conſcience, reviving and rejoycing you in your troubles, then bleſſe God with David, that he hath enabled you ſo to walk in this wretched world, as to have the voice of conſcience with you, that you are ſincere. 'Tis of God that we walk uprightly a moment: did not he ſtand by us, and watch over our deceitfull hearts, and uphold our goings in his paths, wee ſhould ſhew our ſelves hypocriticall wretches in all our wayes. God is my ſtrength and power; and hee maketh my way perfect, Pſal. 28.32. When the lively teſtimony of conſcience, concerning Davids integrity, had rejoyced, and raiſed his dull ſpirit, then he tooke wing, and made his ſoule mount up to heaven like an Eagle, to magnifie God which had beene ſuch ſtrength and power to him, as to make his way perfect, that is, ſincere, and ſo capable of deliverance from his inſulting enemies, [God] is my ſtrength and power; and [he] maketh my way perfect. David would not appropriate the praiſe, of his upright and innocent converſation to himſelfe, as if he by his own wiſdome, ſtrength and goodneſſe, had made his way perfect, and upright; he had through experience of the rottenneſſe of his owne heart, and his aptneſſe to declare it, if God had not beene a ſpeciall ſtrength and aide unto him, in his converſation; and therefore doth he ſo humbly and imitably ſay, [God] is my ſtrength and power; and [he] maketh my way perfect. 2 Sam. 22.33. he inabled me ſo to walke, as to be capable of the accompliſhment of his promiſes of defence againſt, and victory over ungodly men, and no wiſedome, ſtrength, or goodneſſe of his owne. Thus let us humbly doe; when we feele our hearts leape within us, as rejoyced by the ſecret teſtimony of conſcience, concerning the integrity of our carriage, in this or that matter of weight and triall that we were put upon; Thou waſt my wiſedome, ſtrength, and power, O God, to guide and enable me to walke uprightly in ſuch and ſuch hazardous matters; my heart is deceitfull, and full of baſe feare, and if thou hadſt not ſtood up as a mighty God in my weake ſpirit, I had beene over-borne with fleſhly feares, and ſelfe-reſpects, to the wounding of my integrity, and thy Goſpell and glory: bleſſed be thy name, that didſt enable me to looke over all by ends, to thy glory; and to acquit my ſelfe, at the time of triall, anſwerable to my upright purpoſe and reſolution: 'tis of thee to will and to doe good, and unto thee I give all the glory. This is the good way to have God ſtand by us ſtill, and ſo mightily to guide us in all our waies, that we ſhall keepe faith and a good conſcience to our grave, and ſo conſequently our joy, which is the life of our lives. This was upright Iobs ſweet carriage, as we may gueſſe by his language. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my ſoule: I would deſpiſe my life. If I were for holineſſe, as juſt men made perfect in glory, yet whilſt a ſoule ſo holy, is in a body ſo diſeaſed, I could not take any pleaſure in my life. Thus to interpret theſe words, is to give us a hint and more, that Job was extreamely overgone with impatience under Gods hand, which is the worſt that can be ſaid upon this place: I thinke there may be hinted this unto us (if the other be the maine ſcope) that Job ſaw all the integrity and uprightneſſe he had, or poſſibly could be had, was from God, and that he had no reaſon to boaſt, and magnifie himſelfe, what ever his endowments were.
Laſtly, if you finde by comfortable experience the truth of my doctrine, your ſincerity, cauſeth joy and rejoycing in our ſoules, then hang upon God for perſeverance in a ſincere way, that your joy may abide, and ſtill more and more increaſe, as the light of the Sunne unto the perfect day. You have taſted of the ſweetneſſe of a ſincere way, and therefore you ſhould zelouſly follow God, to keepe you on in it, as long as breath is in your noſtrils, that you may never looſe your grapes, your firſt-fruits of the holy Land, your taſte of heaven, untill you come to the full fruition of it. 'Twas Davids prayer often (and let it be yours) though he were ſincere, that God would make his heart ſound in his ſtatutes. There is much rottenneſſe in the beſt heart, and this will breake forth in a mans life, to the diſhonour of God, and the wounding of his conſcience, and robbing of his joy, if he be not ſtill with David, hanging upon God by prayer, for more and more uprightneſſe, and for further and further cleanſing of an unſound heart. Things that are apt to bend and become crooked, we are every foote rectifying and ſtraightning them, and labouring to ſtrengthen them, ſo that they may abide ſtraight, and ſo be ſtill fit for uſe and ſervice. You know to what to apply this, if I ſhould not tell you, to the heart of man. Flattery or violence will turne you aſide, from your ſincere walking, if you doe not humbly ſeeke God ſtill with David, to make your heart ſound in his ſtatutes, and to be ſtill with you, to uphold your ſteps in his paths. You will ſhip wracke conſcience, and all the peace and joy you have by it quickely, as Peter did, if you grow confident of your owne ſtrength, and doe not feare alwaies, and depend upon your God, for ability, to doe every thing uprightly. And therefore leane not to your owne underſtanding, as Salomon ſaid to his ſonne, nor to any parts elſe you have, to ſteere your converſation, if you would maintaine the integrity and uprightneſſe of it; but renounce all in your ſelves, and begge God to make you runne and not be weary, and to deliver you from backſliding in heart and life, to make you faithfull to the death, and to give you at laſt the crowne of life.
This counſell that you may carefully follow, thinke on theſe two or three things. The peace and joy of a good conſcience, is better then the greateſt preferment in the world, and the loſſe of it, is worſe then the loſſe of thy life, in the cruel'ſt way that man can invent. Thou wilt looſe a little heaven, and create within thy heart a little hell, which will laſt till the marrow of thy bones be conſumed, and thy moiſture turned into the drought of ſommer, in the day that thou turneſt aſide from thy ſincere courſe, and ſetſt conſcience againſt thee. The joy of an acquitting conſcience, is unſpeakable and full of glory: and ſo the ſorrow of an accuſing condemning conſcience, is unſpeakable and full of terrour.
'Tis ſorrow unſpeakeable ſtrong. What God ſaid to the woman, after ſhe had turned aſide from the upright way of the Lord, that may I ſay of all the ſeed of the woman, when once they turn aſide from their upright converſation. Ʋnto the woman God ſaid, I will greatly multiply thy ſorrow, Gen. 3.16. Sorrow multiplied, is to have ſorrow upon ſorrow, as Paul uſeth the expreſſion to the Philippians.Phil. 2.27. As in child-bearing there is pang upon pang; and theſe returnes of pangs, grow ſtill ſtronger and ſtronger, till the wombe be diſcharged of her burthen: ſo ſay I to you, in the day that you turne aſide from upright walking, God will greatly multiply your ſorrow; you ſhall have ſorrow upon ſorrow, pang upon pang by an accuſing conſcience; and theſe pangs ſhall ſtill be ſtronger and ſtronger, till you have humbled your ſoules throughly for your halting, and got your conſciences ſprinkled with the blood of Chriſt.
The ſorrowes which God diſtributeth to his, when they turne aſide from ſincere walking, they are ſorrowes fetcht from hell, and thoſe ſorrowes, of all ſorrowes, are the ſtrongeſt. The ſorrowes of hell compaſſed me, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. To turne aſide from uprightneſſe and holineſſe, was the practice of the evill angels, for whom hell was firſt founded, and therefore God doth borrow ſome ſorrowes from thence, to puniſh ſuch ſinnes in his children, which carry a neere ſimilitude to their ſinne: that ſimiles vitio, may be ſimiles ſupplicio; like in ſinne, may be like in puniſhment. The ſorrowes which God inflicts upon revolters, for ſimilitude ſake, are called the ſorrowes of hell.
The ſorrowes of hell God diſtributeth in anger, as Job ſaith. How oft is tho candle of the wicked put out? and oft commeth their deſtruction upon them: God …iſtributeth ſorrowes in his anger. Ioh. 21.17. So the ſorrowes which God diſtributeth to his people, when they turne aſide from their ſincere walking, are from God, as with an angry frowning viſard upon his face, as if he were indeed very angry, as indeed he is with the ſinne, though not with the perſon of the godly; for he hates ſinne in all, with a perfect hatred. The ſorrowes which God will diſtribute to thee by accuſing conſcience, when thou halteſt, ſhall be ſuch as in which thou ſhalt ſee nothing, but the angry face of God, and this will make thee tremble & ſorrow, as the Lord ſpeakes of the Babylonians. Jer. 51.29. as the very damned in hell doe, as one that feeleth the very ſorrowes of hell to compaſſe thee. God looking angerly upon the earth, it trembleth, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 104.32. The earth is the vaſteſt and graveſt body under Heaven, and therefore leaſt apt to ſhaking; & the foundations of it were laid, by Gods owne immediat hand; and yet if God doe but looke angerly upon this firme ſtable body, ſo tranſcendantly founded, it trembleth: how much more then needs muſt man, which is but a little duſt of that grave vaſt body, ſhake and tremble, when God as an angry God lookes upon him?
Secondly, the ſorrowes of hell are ſuch as principally torture the ſpirit. The fire which we make, can onelyonly burne and torture the bodies of men; becauſe this onelyonly of man is materiall: Igris ſocalis i… material …on … quit Ph…lo…ph….immaterials, as the ſoules of men are, our fire cannot faſten upon: but that ſtrange fire, which God hath kindled in hell, for all that diſobey him, burnes the ſoules of men, though immateriall ſubſtances. Nay, ſo ſtrange is that fire, that it burnes theſe immateriall ſubſtances moſt fiercely, as being the moſt ſinfull part of man; for 'tis onelyonly ſinne that pitches and defiles the ſoule, and makes it combuſtible, which otherwiſe would never burne, if all the fiery artiſts of hell did blow the bellowes. Now, juſt ſuch is that fire, which conſcience kindles upon the breach of integrity; to wit, a fire that principally tortures the ſpirit of man: a fire that burnes inwardly, and conſumes the marrow of the bones, and drinkes up the ſpirits. The arrowes which conſcience ſhootes in upon a man, upon the breach of ſincerity, are ſuch as pierce principally the ſpirit. As long as Iob was patient under Gods hand, he felt the arrowes of the Almighty onelyonly without him, as I may ſay, to wit, in his body, in his children and ſubſtance; but when he brake out and curſed his day, he preſently complaines, that he felt the arrowes of God within him, & that the poiſon of them did drinke up his ſpirits. Iob 6.4. All that which before he felt without, was nothing to that which he now felt within, upon his ſpirit; as the torments which damned wretches ſhall ſuffer in their bodies, are nothing to thoſe which ſhall continually flee up and downe, within their ſoules. So David after he had made breaches in his integrity, God filled his loines with loathſome diſeaſes, but this was nothing to ſpeake of; God made things ſtrike into his heart, and then he roared. I am feeble and ſore broken, I have roared by reaſon of the [diſquietneſſe of my heart.] David felt paines gather about his heart, and then he cries out. The heart is the marke that God principally aimes at, when a Chriſtian hath turned aſide from his upright courſe: other outward parts he may hit and deepely wound, but this is but to make holes into the heart, where the ſeat of unſoundneſſe that principally offends him is. The fire which conſcience kindles, it may flaſh forth into the eyes, and tongue, and hands, and make a man looke fearefully, ſpeake deſperately, and doe bloodily againſt the body; but the heate of the fire is principally within, in the furnace, in the ſpirit; 'tis but ſome ſparkles and flaſhes onelyonly, that you ſee come forth at the lower holes of the Furnace, which you behold in the eyes, words, and deeds of ſuch men.
Thirdly, the ſorrowes of hell are torturing, but yet not ſuch as utterly conſume and end the ſoule. The fire which we make, let it faſten on never ſo hard a thing, yet it will conſume it in length of time. But that ſtrange fire that God hath kindled in hell for all that diſobey him, though it burne with the greateſt fierceneſſe that can be conceived, yet it never conſumes the ſoules of thoſe that are now burned in it; no nor yet the bodies that ſhall hereafter be burned in it. Damned ſoules are ever burning, and yet never burned; ever a conſuming, and yet never conſumed; and this addes infinitely to the miſery of the damned. Even ſuch is that ſire which conſcience kindles in the ſoule of man, upon the breach of integrity. 'Tis a fire that will burne and torture the ſoule day and night, but never conſume it. He-man complaines that this fire burnt ſo fiercely in his ſoule, that it diſtracted his ſpirit, but yet did not end his ſpirit. While I ſuffer thy terrour I am diſtracted, Pſal. 88.15. The terrours that conſcience kindles in the ſpirit, will racke the ſpirit, rend and teare limme from limme, faculty from faculty, and make the ſpirit mad with horrour and anguiſh, but yet for all this not put a period to the ſpirit: he ſhall be as ſuſceptive and as ſenſible of tortures to day as yeſter-day, and to-morrow as to day, and next weeke as this weeke, next yeere as this yeere, the laſt day of his life, as the firſt day they begun, if God doe not admirably intercept. Conſcience hangs the ſoule in chaines alive, upon the breach of integrity; and there lets the ſoule beate himſelfe, bite and gnaw himſelf, but yet cannot when he would end himſelfe, and this makes every torture double. O that I might have my requeſt! and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Why what Iob doſt thou long for? Why, even that it would pleaſe God to deſtroy me: that he would let looſe his hand and cut me off. No Iob, your ſpirit has hanged but a while, 'tis not dead yet, and therefore it ſhall not be cut down. The things that Jobs ſoule refuſed to touch, were made by conſcience his daily ſorrowfull meate, and this Gall and Wormwood fretted his guts, but did not ſtrangle and end him; conſcience forc'd him every day, and every night to drinke a new draught, that kept his Spirit in continuall torture, and yet he could not get his ſoule out of this body, nor have it conſumed in. The terrours that conſcience kindles they are ſo terrible, that they will make a man wiſh for death, nay inflict death upon himſelfe, and all to put an end unto them, and yet all will not doe, becauſe theſe tortures faſten upon the Spirit, but deſtroy not the Spirit.
Finall, the ſorrowes of hell, they are ſuch as are not in the leaſt meaſure pittied by God. Though the damned in hell, be tormented with ſulfurous flames, which is a very fierce fire; and though they cry and roare, howle and yell, ſhrich and gnaſh the teeth continually, and all this in the hearing of God continually, which would ſtirre, nay, turne the bowels of any man, to heare but a moment; yet it ſtirres not God a jot, though he hath heard theſe dolorous cries ſo many hundred yeares, to give them the leaſt good word, or good looke. So that ſorrow which conſcience raiſes in the ſoule, upon, the breach of ſincerity, God ſeemes not to pitty in the leaſt meaſure, for a long time. Though the ſpirit of man be rackt, tortured and affrighted even unto diſtraction, yet God will not ſo much as afford a good looke to the ſoule. Though he pray and faſt, and conſume himſelfe with faſting, yet not any beame of light and love, that the revolting ſoule ſhall ſee in the countenance of God, to take hold on, and to comfort himſelfe by. Hence 'tis that the Pſalmiſt complains of God and his mercy as cleane gone. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? is his mercy cleane gone for ever? doth his promiſe faile for evermore? Pſal. 77.7,8. Nay, many times God ſerves back-ſliding Chriſtians, as he ſerved the Iſraelites of old, to wit, increaſes their ſorrow, when they are in earneſt ſuit for releaſe and comfort; ſo farre he is from pittying of them: and as Ioſeph carried himſelfe to his brethren; inſtead of pittying them in their want, he ſpake affrightingly to them, and told them that they were ſpies, and ſo put them in feare of the loſſe of their lives. Juſt thus for a time doth God uſually carry himſelfe to revolting Chriſtians: he is ſo farre from pittying them, notwithſtanding all their prayers, that he calls them dogges, and ſpeakes roughly to them, and puts them in feare of the loſſe of their beſt lives, and ſeemes reſolved to proceed againſt them as his enemies, begge and cry as long as they will. Job points at this, where he ſaith, Wherefore hideſt thou thy face, and holdeſt me for thin-enemy? Iob 13.24. And is not this hell indeed, to be in ſoule miſery, and to have no compaſſion from God? To be pittied and condoled by a mans friend, though he be not able to helpe him, we take it as a great mercy, and moderation of miſery; Iob would ſo have accounted it. But when ſuch as we take for friends, doe not onelyonly forbeare to pitty, but ſet themſelves againſt us in our miſery, and adde to our afflictions; this makes miſery unſpeakeably miſerable, and a lively Embleme of Hell indeed: But I goe no further this way.
Secondly, as the ſorrow which conſcience cauſeth upon the breach of ſincerity, is unſpeakeable ſtrong no other in a manner but the torments of hell; ſo 'tis oft times unſpeakable ſudden. As the Wind raiſes hideous ſtormes and tempeſts at Sea on a ſudden, that endangers the drowning of all: So conſcience, when once the ſoule hath turned aſide to crooked waies, oft times of a ſudden raiſes hideous ſtorms and tempeſts in the ſoule, which addes exceedingly to the torture. Horrour and terrour breaking forth ſuddenly, affrights more by farre, then if it came with warning. The fire that conſcience kindles in the ſoule, is like the ſetting a fire of Gun-powder, very ſudden, as 'tis very fierce. After once a breach is made upon ſincerity, conſcience laies traines of wildfire, and blowes up all a mans joy on an inſtant, and ſets on fire the ſoule, and then lets in legions of ſuch ſpirits whoſe dwelling is onelyonly in fire to keep Garriſon againſt all promiſes of good to this ſoule, and then the ſoule becomes like Taſhur, feare round about: the face of God terrible; the face of friends terrible; the thought of ſickneſſe, death; and the thought of death, hell; and the thought of hell, as at the doore, and unavoidable. As the Arrowes which God will ſhoot, againſt the enemies of his Church, ſhall goe forth as lightening, Zech. 9.14. ſo the Arrowes which God ſhootes by conſcience, againſt ſuch as turne aſide to evill waies, they goe forth oft-times as light…ings, very ſudden, & very ſwift. Sometimes when a ſinner like Belſhazzar is in the very act of ſinne, conſcience writes downe a mans doome in his heart, and in ſuch legible letters, that the ſinner cannot chooſe but read and tremble. When a ſinner is taking pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe, of a ſudden conſcience breaks forth into thundring and lightning in the ſoule, and the ſinner is as one deſcending quicke into hell. And [immediately while he yet ſpake] the Cocke crew, and the Lord look'd backe upon Peter, ſaith the text, Luke 22.60. On a ſudden, while Peter was in the very act of denying, a cocke crew within, to wit, conſcience that made Peters ſpirit die within him. Once and twiſe Peter denied Chriſt, and Chriſt did not awaken conſcience, and ſet him at him, to pull him by the throat; but the third time, immediately while he yet ſpake, conſcience like a Lyon ranne upon his ſoule, and made him beleeve, that hee would be a tormentour to him, as he is to the damned, before the time. Sometime conſcience may let a man alone, after he is turned aſide from ſincere walking, but if the ſoule ſtill goe on, of a ſudden conſcience will break forth, into thundering and lightning ſo fiercely as he did in Peters ſoule, on whom if Chriſt had not look'd backe, Peter would have gone neere, to have ſerved himſelfe as Iudas, after he had betrayed his Maſter.
To conclude all, This I am ſure, O ſincere ſoule, that as conſcience will make thee know to thy comfort, that 'tis a ſweet thing faithfully and ſincerely to ſerve God; ſo conſcience will make thee know to thy griefe, that it is an evill and a bitter thing, to turne away from the good way of the Lord. Having therefore now ſet good and evill before thee, make a wiſe choyce. Chuſe rather to undergoe any thing, that man or divell can invent, that thou maiſt ſtill enjoy the peace and joy of a good conſcience, then to have the greateſt honour this world will afford, and ſhipwracke ſincerity, and ſo lie liable to the laſh of an evill conſcience.
FINIS.