Christian See to Thy Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 49 – Chapter 50
CHAP. 49. Of the vpright Conſcience.
THe Conſcience vpright is that which is ſet right vp, not declining this way or that way; not carried to the right hand nor to the left, but is kept vpright.
1. From eueryevery crooked rule that might leade it awry, which crooked rule is any other than Gods Word, betweene God and Conſcience.
2. From eueryevery crooked path, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh;Pſ. 125. 5. now eueryevery crooked path or way is eueryevery vnwarrantable action and aberration from the right rule.
3. From any halting betweene two opinions in matter of Religion, as betweene the true and falſe God, betweene the true and the ſuperſtitious worſhip; betweene Gods precepts and mans ordinances, and betweene Gods written Word, and feigned traditions.
duplicate page duplicate page 4. From all by and ſiniſter reſpects in obeying Gods will, and doing duties vntounto men: or in auoiding ſinne and euil.
This is the Conſcience of vpright men, of ſuch as hauehave honeſt intentions alwaies in their actions, the plaine hearted, and ſincere minded.
Section 2. How gotten.
THis vpright Conſcience is come by, Firſt, by ſetting God before vsus, as being euer in his ſight and hee looking vponupon vsus: as Saint Paul did, who ſaid,Act. 23. 1. & 24. 16. that hee had liued in all good Conſcience before God, and he indeuoured to keepe it towards God and man. For it cannot be, but hee that walketh before God, hauing him before his eyes, muſt needes be vpright, they are commanded together vntountoGen. 17. 1. Abraham. Secondly, by hauing the word of God for warrant in all our courſes for this will all o make vsus vpright, if Gods lawes and ſtatutes be before vsus, for thus came Dauid 2. Sam. 22. 2… ▪ 24.to be vpright. Neither can this be ſeparated from the former; for he ſets not God truly before him, that neglects his word, and caſts that behind him.
Section 3. Of the effects.
SIngular are the effects which flow from this vpright Conſcience.
1. It makes a man in his enterprizes euer to aske counſell of God, and to enquire at the word of the Lord: as Iehoſophat did, when Ahab would hauehave him go into a warre with1. King. 22. 5. him.
2. It will make him directPro. 21. 29. his ſteps according to it, and make a Dauid to wiſhPſa. 119. 5. that his waies were euer ſo guided.
3. It will cauſe a man to caſt off all inward reſeruations within himſelfe, and to reſigne himſelfe to the rule of the word wholly: and to ſay, not my will, O Lord, but thy will bee done.
4. It will not allow in a man partiall obedience, neither to ſtraine at Gnats, and to ſwallow Camels, nor ſtraine at Camels, great and foule and infamous euils, and ſwallow Gnats, leſſer ſinnes: for the vpright Conſcience makes a mans throat ſo narrow, as he cannot ſwallow a Camel without choaking, nor the leaſt Gnat without coughing-
5. It will not permit at any hand a man to looke a ſquint, two waies at once, in his obedience to Gods will: that is, ſo to the pleaſing of God, as withall to pleaſe man: So to obey Gods precepts, as yet the ſame may ſtand with his profit, and with his owne preferment, or credit and eſteeme with men.
6. It will make man walke vprightly, not to turne thisPſ…. 15. 2. Iſai. 30. 21. 1. King. 22. 14. Iob. 33. 3. Pſal. 15. 2. nor that way; and alſo to ſpeak vprightly, as Michaiah would and did, and as did Elihu, and all that go to heauen ſhould doe.
7. This keeps a man from playing the diſſembler, the hypocrite, the time-ſeruer: to hauehave two faces vnderunder one hood, & within him a heart and a heart; to hauehave heart and tongue at o…des, ſpeech & affection vnt…eable, outward geſture & inward thought, vnlike; pretences & intention to differ it cannot poſſibly endure.
6. It can inable a man in diſtres to pleade his vprightnes,Iob. 10. 7. Iſai. 38. 3. as did Iob and Hezekiah.
Therefore let vsus labour to get and keepe this Conſcience: for God requireth truth in the inward parts. And the want of this vpright Conſcience is the cauſe of all fraud, couſenages, and villanies committed any where in all the world.
The meanes to get it, is conſideration of Gods allſeeing eye, and the word for the rule and warrant in all our actions. Now the ſame that begets it keepes it, making a Paul to hauehave his conuerſation in all ſimplicity and godly ſincerity with cheerefulneſſe.
CHAP. 50. Of the pure Conſcience.
THis is the Conſcience which euer accompanieth vprightneſſe, for heIob. 8. 6. that hath the one hath alſo the other; he that is pure is vpright.
Of this pure Conſcience the Apoſtle maketh mention, 1. Tim. 3. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 3. This is the conſcience that cannot endure defilement.
Section 1. In whom it is, and how attained.
THis is the Conſcience of ſuch as be ſanctified by Gods ſpirit; for the1. Pet. 1. 22. Spirit purifieth the ſoule; And faith purgeth theAct. 15. 9. heart and conſcience; taking hold of Chriſt byHeb. 9. 14. whoſe bloud the Conſcience is purged from dead workes. Moreouer it becommeth pure by the puritie of the mind; the minds2. Pet. 3. 1. of the regenerate are pure; and therefore ſo is their Conſcience: for vponupon the defilement of the mind, the Conſcience (ſaith the Apoſtle)Tit. 1. 15. is defiled. Laſtly it is pure by the wiſdome giuenIam. 3. 17 of God, from aboue; for it being pure, and the light of the Conſcience, it muſt alſo be pure.
Section 2. Of the effects hereof.
THis ſanctified, purged and pure Conſcience worketh firſt, a deteſtation of all vncleaneneſſe: for it looketh to the rule with a pure mind, and the purity of wiſdome from aboue,2. Cor. 7. 1. Iam. 1. 27. which rule forbids all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, all defilements andIſai. 30. 22. ſpots of the world; and allIude verſ. 23. fleſhly ſeruice & impurity in Religion. And therefore Conſcience auoideth all ſuch filth, and vncleaneneſſe whatſoeuer.
Secondly, it ſtirres vp a man to purity, as the Rule commands it, and religion tieth vntounto it. Hence is it,Tit. 1. 15. Pſal. 18. 26. Prou. 15. 26. that from this pure Conſcience men regenerate are called Pure; and becauſe this puritie of it cauſeth them to flie all impurities in Religion and in conuerſation (which other of defiled minds: and Conſciences make no matter of) they are reproached with the ignominious name of Puritans, the name of old Hereticks, called Cathariſts and Nouatians, whoſe hereſie theſe ſo nick-named are farre from.
Section 3. Of the ſignes of this pure Conſcience.
NOw leſt any bee deceiued by preſuming of this pure Conſcience, as if they had it which hauehave it not, the word of God giueth vsus euidence hereof, to know where it is. Firſt, it holdeth the miſtery of1. Tim. 3. 9 and. 1. 5. faith; for this is kept in a pure conſcience. Secondly, it is accompanied with aHeb. 9. 14. pure heart. Thirdly, hee2. Tim. 1. 3. that hath it ſerues God purely, following the ſteps of holy forefathers. Fourthly and laſtly, it is ſhewed by a pure life: for this muſt needs come from thence: becauſe if the word be pure, the rule of it, Religion pure, the Goſpel pure, the heart pure, the mindHeb. 13. 18. pure, Conſcience pure, then muſt needs the life beProu. 21. 8. pure, in liuing honeſtly, in working righteouſneſſe,Phil. 1. 10. and walking without giuing offence.
Section 4. How to keepe it pure.
WHen the Conſcience becommeth pure, it is to be kept pure; which is by auoiding that which may defile it, which is ſinne; for it is called filthineſſe, and Chriſt tellethIam. 1. 21. Mat. 15. 18. 19. vsus, that it defileth the man. We muſt labour for Gods ſpirit, faith, purity of mind, and for the wiſdome which is from aboue, which maketh Conſcience pure, and will ſo keep it.