Christian See to Thy Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 38 – Chapter 40
CHAP. 38. Of the deſperate Conſcience.
THis deſperate Conſcience is the laſt and higheſt degree of an ill ſtirring Conſcience. It differs from the other, which may be in one ordained to bee ſaued, as in the Gaoler, Act. 16. but this is the effect of the former in Abiects, as in Achitophels, and in Iudas like perſons.
This is the raging Conſcience, reſtleſſe like the Sea, or as a Deare ſhot with the arrow ſticking in him; or as a Band-Dog awakening, and euer barking, giuing no quiet or eaſe, day nor night.
Section 1. Of the Cauſes.
THis deſperation ariſeth, Firſt, vponupon ſome ſinne committed againſt God or man, contrary to the cleare light of his reaſon: as Saul did againſt Dauid by his owne confeſſion, 1. Sam. 24. 16. 17. 21. & 25. 21. In like manner did Achitophel, in taking part with Ahſalom againſt Dauid; and Iudas againſt Chriſt, whom hee acknowledged to bee innocent, vponupon the torture of his Conſcience, Matth. 27. 2. Secondly, it commeth vponupon the aggrauation of ſinne, as thinking it impardonable; that for it God hath forſaken him, that there is no mercy for him, that he is damned; as within themſelues the deſperate doe conclude, and doe ſometime vtter as much, as a Sheriffes man did, who mocked and abuſed one Iames Abbes a bleſſedAct and Monum. Martyr, and as I my ſelfe knew an Atturney, who cryed aloud, I am damned, I am damned, and dyed miſerably.
3. Satan helpeth on this, by ſuggeſting Gods wrath, the externall ſhame alſo among men: and that there is no hope to recouer out of ſo great a miſerie. By this and the former the ſoule is in a deuouring gulph of deſperation ready to ſwallow him vp.
Section 2. Of the effects.
MOſt lamentable is the ſtate of any one in this Caſe, and vnderunder the power of this deſperate Conſcience; for firſt, it makes a man reſtleſſe and vnquiet; he is full of feares, his ſpirit perplexed, and grieuouſly tormented with apprehenſion of Hell, Death, and Damnation. 2. He can attaine to no ſpirituall comfort: for he ſeeth God againſt him, the Diuell he conceits is ready to take him to him; he cannot beleeue any of the promiſes of life to belong at all to him; he hath no part in heauen, no hope to bee with Chriſt and his Saints; but feareth deſperately Hell and damnation. No outward thing can comfort him; the bag full cannot ioy a Iudas; a Kingly ſtate cannot afford ſolace to a Saul; nor the deepeneſſe of wit and wiſedome worke conſolation in the heart of an Achitophel. Thirdly, hereupō this deſperate Conſcience makes men weary of their liues, and at length cauſeth them to lay violent hands vponupon themſelues, eſpecially whē they be in any worldly diſtreſſe, as Nero the Tyrant did, and Pilat, as Hiſtories record; and as Saul, Iudas, and Achitophel did: So likewiſe one Clerke in King Edward the ſixth dayes; one Pauier, Towne-Clerke of London; one Leuar, a huſbandman; and one Henry Smith, a Lawyer, Enemies to the Goſpell, and perſecutors, hanged themſelues, being deſperate perſons, who through terrour of Conſcience haſtened their vntimely deaths.
Section 3. Of the Remedies.
TO cure this Conſcience, naturall gifts will not doe it, no not an Achitophels wit and wiſdome; not worldly wealth, Iudas bag of money could not eaſe him; not Kingly nor Emperiall dignitie could relieue a Nero, an Alexander; not wine nor wanton women, not mirth nor muſick, not feaſting among Princes could quiet the Conſcience of a Belſhazzar; much leſſe can ſeeking to a Witch relieue the diſtreſſed and terrifying deſperate Conſcience of a Saul: for no worldly, naturall, much leſſe diueliſh meanes can cure a ſpirituall malady: but the true remedie is to learne and beleeue theſe things.
1. That God is infinite in mercy, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſſe, Ioel 2. 13. Secondly, that he hath no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould repent and liue, Ezek. 18. 23. 22. which he confirmeth to vsus by an oath, Chap. 33. 11. Thirdly, that hee will pardon eueryevery true penitent; for ſo hath hee promiſed, Ezek. 18. 27. 28. and this muſt they know, that not ſinne, but the not repenting of ſinne damneth man: for if wee repent, and belieue, wee ſhall bee ſaued. Fourthly, that God in Chriſt Ieſus is well pleaſed, Matth. 3. 17. who is our Aduocate with the Father, who is our Propitiation for our ſinnes, 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2. Fifthly, that hee is become all in all for to pacifie Gods wrath, and to procure his fauour for vsus, 1. Cor. 1. 30. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Heb. 9. 12. and 10. 14. Rom. 8. 1. 33. 34. Sixthly, that he inuiteth vsus louingly to come to him, & promiſeth refreſhment, Mat. 11. 28. with theſe adde a holy and reuerent vſe of the Sacrament, for the exerciſe and ſtrengthening of faith in Chriſt offered to them therein, applyed and receiued particularly, greatly furthering to the comfort of Conſcience, and to preuent deſpaire.
And thus much now at length touching the euill Conſcience, ſtill and ſtirring, with all the differences of them both: now followeth the good Conſcience.
CHAP. 39. Of the good Conſcience in generall.
OF a good Conſcience the Apoſtle maketh mention very often, in diuers places, as in Act. 23. 1. and 24. 16. 1. Tim. 1. 5. and Heb. 13. 18.
A good Conſcience is that which performeth it offices rightly for the comfort of man. The goodneſſe of it ſtands in ſeeing aright, in acquainting a man truly with himſelfe, in well directing of him, in witneſſing with, and ſo rightly excuſing and acquiting him. This is the conſcience, which Saint Paul ſpeaks of, without offence, that is, which hath no ſtop, or impediment to hinder it from excuſing Act. 24. 16.
This Saint Paul knew he had, in this he liued, and this he endeuored to keep; for hee deſired to liue honeſtly, Heb. 13. 18.
This was it that made him reioyce, 2. Cor. 1. 12. to be without feare, and to ſpeake boldly to the faces of Gods Enemies, Act. 23. 1. not to be daunted before the mighty in a good cauſe, no more then Paul was, Act. 24. 10. 16. nor Peter with other Apoſtles Act. 5. 29. nor Luther when he entred into Wormes, not caring if all the tiles there had been Diuels. This good Conſcience bare vp Iob againſt all his friends ouer vncharitable cenſure of him, in ſo great affliction. This vpheld Dauid in all his diſtreſſes, and Sauls perſecuting of him, and ſlanders raiſed vponupon him by his Courtiers. This made Saint Paul to2. Cor. 6. 8. paſſe through honour and diſhonour, good report and bad.
This good Conſcience may bee ſaid to bee threefold: the naturall, morall, and regenerate.
CHAP. 40. Of the naturall good Conſcience.
BY the naturall good Conſcience, I meane that which was in man by Creation, in Adam before the fall.
The excellency hereof ſtood in theſe things, Firſt, in bearing Adam witneſſe that he was good, holy, innocent, righteous, and therfore happy, and bleſſed. Secondly, in bearing ſway and rule in him, ſo as hee was eueryevery way obedient to Gods will. Thirdly, in comforting him in Gods preſence with ioy, without terrour or dread of diuine maieſtie.
This was the goodneſſe of his Conſcience then, while he abode in his innocencie, harmeleſſe and without ſinne: And this ſhall be the goodneſſe of it when we attaine to perfection in glory.
The cauſes hereof were, Firſt, the perfection of Adams knowledg, who knew exactly Gods will; and all and eueryevery duty on his part to be performed, to God, to man, and to himſelfe. Secondly, the perfection of his memorie euer conſtantly and firmely retaining thoſe duties for obſeruing of them; Thirdly, the perfect freedome of the will, free from all peruerſeneſſe and rebellion; and inclined to all goodneſſe, readily obeying the rule of reaſon and dictate of Conſcience. Fourthly, The hearts vprightneſſe, with all purity and ſincerity. Laſtly, the affections orderly ſetled, and free from ſenſuality, inconſtancie, diſorder, and exceſſe. Vnruly paſſions bare then no ſway.
But now ſince the fall, this naturall Conſcience hath loſt it ſoueraigntie in the groſſe vulgars, as well Chriſtian, as heathen, who hauehave onelyonly ſome common principles but rudely apprehended, on which ſometime their Conſcience workes; otherwiſe, for the moſt part, they are led but by ſenſe, or experience, or examples, doing as they ſee others to doe: and are little better then brute beaſts, through their ſottiſh ignorance, ſauage qualities, vnruly paſſions, and beaſtly ſenſualitie, doing many things againſt cōmon reaſon, and the light of nature it ſelfe, if they would but attend vntounto it. For want whereof they feele in a manner no worke of Conſcience at all; ſo farre hauehave innumerable Pagans, and a numberleſſe number of the ruder ſort, liuing among Chriſtians, and vnderunder that name moſt vnworthily, degenerated from the goodneſſe of the naturall Conſcience, which was in Adam. The loſſe whereof is to bee bewailed, we are to labour for to repaire it, and to deſire the perfection thereof in Heauen.