Christian See to Thy Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 50 – Chapter 52
CHAP. 50. Of the iuſtifying Conſcience.
THe laſt difference of the regenerate Conſcience is the Conſcience iuſtifying. This witneſſeth our righteouſneſſe before God, euen that which the law requireth: and this it doth, not by the law but by the Goſpell, in all thoſe in whom it is the power of God to ſaluation, and are iuſtified by faith in Chriſt.
Section 1. How the Conſcience comes to iuſtifie.
Q. HEre it may be asked how the Conſcience by the Goſpell doth ſo iuſtifie a man?
Anſw. Firſt, The Goſpell commandeth to beleeue in Chriſt Ieſus. 1. Ioh. 3. 23. Secondly, it teacheth firſt to reiect righteouſneſſe of workes by the law in our owne perſons: Rom. 3. 20. Phil. 3. 9. the Goſpell is vtterly againſt this. Secondly, it teacheth, and reuealeth not an other righteouſneſ…, but an other way to attaine it, which is not by works, but by faith in Chriſt; for the GoſpellRom. 10. 30. 31. 32. and 3. 28. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 4. 23. 24. hath made known, that the righteouſneſſe of the law is in Chriſt, and that ſuch as beleeue in him, hauehave it imputed to them, and ſo become they righteous before God. Thirdly, what the Goſpell commandeth and teacheth, that it makethEph. 1. 13. good, through the effectualneſſe of the Spirit; and ſo bindeth Conſcience to beleeue and obey the ſame. If any profeſſing the Goſpell feele not this binding power, it is for that they remaine ignorant of it, or that their knowledge is not ſanctified to them, or for that it is not preſſed home to the Conſcience.
Section 2. In what the iuſtifying Conſcience doth ſtand: and how it differs from a iuſtifying faith.
Q. HEre it may be demanded wherein is this iuſtification of Conſcience?
Anſw. It ſtands in the witneſſing of our faith in foure things. Firſt, that we beleeue what Chriſt Ieſus is in himſelf, as the Eunuch did, Act. 8. 37. Secondly, that we beleeue what he1. Cor. 1. 30 was made for vsus that beleeue in him, euen our wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption,Rom. 10. 4. 30. and 3. 26. the end of the law for righteouſneſſe to all that beleeue, and our iuſtifier; Thirdly, that we doe beleeue to be iuſtified by him, and onelyonly ſtand iuſt by his righteouſneſſe imputedGal. 2. 16. without the workes of the Law. Fourthly, that we beleeue in thus beleeuing, that God for his SonRom. 4. 3. 5. 23. 24. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Ieſus Chriſts ſake will, yea and doth account vsus righteous before him. All theſe acts of faith it doth1. Ioh. 5. 10 witneſſe for vsus vntounto God: and this is the witneſſe within vsus.
Some may ſay, we hauehave often heard of a iuſtifying faith, but not ſo of a iuſtifying Conſcience, and therfore deſire to know the difference of them.
Anſw. Iuſtifying faith is the inſtrumentall meanes by which we apply Chriſt to vsus for our iuſtification: Iuſtifying Conſcience is the witneſſing of thoſe forenamed acts of faith for vsus vntounto God. Faith is as one receiuing money and paying it to his credit our to acquit him of his debt, Conſcience is a witneſſe ſtanding by, iuſtifying that payment by which he is freed from the debt.
Section 3. Of the comfort which ariſeth from this iuſtification of Conſcience.
SIngular is the conſolation which a godly Chriſtian reapeth by this Conſcience ſo witneſſing his faith in Ieſus Chriſt, as before is ſhewed. For what benefit by Chriſt through faith is obteined in Gods merciemercy, in that this Conſcience doth comfort vsus; Now the benefit is manifold, Firſt, It comforteth againſtRom. 8. 4. the terrour of the law, for in Chriſt wee fulfill it. Secondly, againſt theRom. 5. 10. feare of Gods iuſtice; for attonement is made, his wrath appeaſed, and he reconciled. Thirdly, againſt2. Cor. 5. 18. all Satans accuſings; for Chriſt hath ouercome him for vsus. Fourthly, againſtIoh. 14. 30. falls of infirmitie and ſinning after we be in Chriſt: for Chriſts bloud clenſethHeb. 2. 14. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Mat. 1. from all ſinnes; He ſaues his people from their ſins, and when they do ſinne, he is their Aduocate with the1. Ioh. 2. 1. Father, and their propitiatiation. Fifthly, againſt fainting vnderunder afflictions: for they are changed from puniſhments into chaſtiſements,Heb. 12. 5. 6. and from the ſigne of Gods anger, into the witneſſe of his louelove: for as many as he loueth, hee chaſtiſeth, and ſcourgeth. Sixthly, againſt all ſad ſorrow becauſe of our great imperfections, our too much ignorance, our vnrighteouſneſſe, our defect in holineſſe, and the remainders of ſinne and corruption in vsus. For Ieſus Chriſt is our purity, wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification,1. Cor. 1. 30. and redemption. Seuenthly, againſt the feare of death: for he hath ouercome death, aboliſhed2. Tim. 1. 10. Ioh. 10. 28. it, and giuen life and immortality. Laſtly, againſt the dread of damnation,Rom. 81. 33. 34. Hell, and deſtruction. For Chriſt hath freed and iuſtified vsus, who can then condemne? Conſcience, by witneſſing our faith in Chriſt, affordeth vsus conſolation againſt the feare and dread of all theſe things. We muſt therfore labour for it by the meanes whereby it is attained, of which before; So muſt wee endeuour to keepe it when we hauehave it.
Section 4. How to keepe this iuſtifying Conſcience.
TO keepe this comfortable conſcience, there are two things to be obſerued of vsus;
1. To take heed of ſuch things as may ouerthrow it and make vsus to loſe it, and they chiefly are theſe three. Firſt, to vphold a couenant of workes betweene God and vsus his people profeſſing the Goſpell. Secondly, to maintain iuſtification by workes, and not by faith without the workes of the Law. Thirdly, to loſe our faith. For he that loſeth his faith, loſeth his good Conſcience:1. Tim. 1. 19. And whoſoeuer doe hold a couenant of workes, and righteouſneſſe thereby are in bondaged to the Law; are fallen from grace propoundedGal. 5. 4. by the Goſpell; they cannot attaine to righteouſneſſe;Rom. 9. 30. 31. 32. and 10. 2. Chriſt profiteth them nothing; ſo remain they vnderunder the curſe, from which by Chriſt onelyonly they muſt be freed. Therefore ſuch cannotGal. 3. 13. and 5. 4. hauehave this iuſtifying Conſcience, but by theſe means doe loſe it, becauſe it witneſſeth it through faith of the Goſpell, and not by the Law.
2. To keepe this Conſcience, as we muſt take heed of that which may ouerthrow it, ſo muſt we be carefull to maintaine and nouriſh that which will preſerue it, and that is, by ſtrengthening of our faith, by holding to the Couenant of Grace; by meditating vponupon not onelyonly the ſufficiencie, but alſo vponupon the efficacie of Chriſt his ſatisfaction, and merit of his obedience particularly for eueryevery one of vsus, beleeuing to be ſaued onelyonly by him: by conſidering of Gods faithfulneſſe and truth in his gracious promiſes made to vsus in Chriſt; and by the frequent vſe of the Lords ſupper; in which our faith may be greatly ſtrengthened, Firſt, by beholding God the Father giuing Chriſt his Sonne. Secondly, by conſidering how Chriſt offered himſelfe. Thirdly, by both theſe to gather the infinite louelove of both towards vsus; Fourthly, by aſſuring our ſelues, firſt, that we may apply Chriſt particularly: ſecondly, that Chriſt is receiued into vsus, for I am inIoh. 17. them, ſaith hee. Thirdly, That we can no more loſe. Chriſt, then the elements which we hauehave receiued. Thus by the Sacrament may our faith bee ſtrengthened, and ſo our iuſtifying Conſcience preſerued; which witneſſeth onelyonly ſo, as wee hauehave faith to beleeue; ſo as if faith faile, it faileth, if faith hauehave it work, then this Conſcience hath it worke, and affordeth vsus ſingular comfort betweene God and vsus. And thus much now at the length concerning a good Conſcience and all the differences thereof: the generall fruit and benefit of all followes.
CHAP. 52. Of the ſingular effect which ariſeth from a good Conſcience regenerate, quiet, vpright, pure, and iuſtifying.
WHen man hath attained to a good Conſcience regenerat, and that it be quiet, pure, vpright, and witneſſing our faith in the Lord Ieſus, through the binding power of the Goſpell, it worketh a holy and reuerent boldneſſe, with confidence1. Ioh. 3. 21. Eph. 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. Ioh. 21. 17. 2. Tim. 4. 7. to hauehave acceſſe vntounto God, to make vsus, euen after fearefull falls (being truly penitent) to appeale to God concerning our louelove to him; to be aſſured of our ſaluation, to be comforted in great afflictions, being able to ſay, let him ſlay me,Ioh. 13. 15. 18. and 16. 19. yet will I truſt in him; I ſhall be iuſtified, for my record is in heauen, and witneſſe2. Cor. 5. 6. 8. on high; and laſtly to deſire to be diſſolued and to be with Chriſt. For through this good Conſcience ſo quiet, pure, and vpright,Pſa. 44. 8. our hearts are freed from feares, and we hauehave a holy glorying in the Lord, with giuing him thanks, and praiſe for our placeRom. 8. 33. …. and attonement with God: concluding that nothing can ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus. But here leſt many bee deceiued, it ſhall not be amiſſe to ſhew a difference betweene this holy Confidence ariſing from Conſcience, and fleſhly preſumption, of which in the Chapter following.