Four Sermons, Sermon 4

Four Sermons · Sermon 4

p. 33THE SECOND SERMON, on 1 Tim. 1. 19.

And a good Conſcience.

YOu have ſeene the holding of faith. The ſecond ſavoury rule which Paul under the perſon of Timothie, commends unto us is, when wee have a good conſcience to hold that alſo.

Yee muſt hold a good conſcience. 2As faith is of a flying nature in it ſelfe; ſo is a good p. 34conſcience too; it hath many wings to flie away from us, the weake owners of it. It fliesA good conſcience is of a flying nature. 1 By feares away, firſt by feare, Abraham was afraid of the court of Abimelech, and Pharaoh, and therfore weakely taught his wife Sarah to tell a lye: and Peter was afraid in the high-prieſts hall, and he denied his maſter with curſing: Daniel, and the three worthies baniſhed feare from their ſoules, and would worſhip God alone, and pray unto him what ever came, and ſo kept a good conſcience, whereas Abraham and Peter loſt it. Secondly, by unmercifulneſſe: Adonibezeck 2 By unmercifulneſſe. Iudg. 1. Luke 16.Judg 1Luke 16was cruell, and what a wicked conſcience had hee in cutting off the thumbes of ſeaventie Kings, and uſing them like dogges? Dives was ſo too, and what a conſcience had he in denying the crumbes of his p. 35table? Thirdly, By the love of 2 By the love of the world▪ Gal. 6. 12.Gal 6:12the world: the falſe Apoſtles making a faire ſhew in the fleſh, conſtrained chriſtians to be circumciſed; onelyonly, leaſt they ſhould ſuffer perſecution for the croſſe of Chriſt: and thus a good conſcience did fly away. Fourthly, by the love 4 By love of ſinne.of ſinne: David loved the ſweete ſinne of Bathſhebah; therefore hee contrived the death of Vriah, and ſo conſcience fled. Fiftly, by the love 5 By love of honour.of honour; Achitophel was not honoured above Hushai the Archite, and hee hanged himſelfe. Adonijah was not honoured above Salomon, and hee ended in rebellion. Bigthan and Tereſh had not honour anſwerable to their minds, and they proved treacherous. Haman could not have Mardocaies knee, and all the Jewes (if hee can helpe p. 36it) muſt die for it. And thus a good conſcience fled from them. Sixtly, by the guilt and 6 By the guilt and horrour of ſinne.horrour of great ſinnes: Iudas was preſſed ſore with what hee had done, and hee went out and hanged himſelf: and thus a good conſcience did flie from him. Laſtly, by 7 By profit Pſal. 73. Ier. 12. Iob. 21. 2 Tim. 4 10.Ps 73Jer 12Job 212 Tim 4:10the profits of the world: David, Ieremy, and Iob had not the proſperitie of wicked men, and in a paſſion they fel to grumbling againſt God: Demas had it caſt▪ upon him, and forſooke Paul, and imbraced the preſent world: and thus good conſcience was almoſt in the firſt, altogether in the laſt chaſed. What ſhall I ſay? There are ſome ſins of daily incurſion, which are lamented,Peccata quotidianae incurſionis, et vaſtantia conſcientias. groaned under, and fought againſt, which may bee lived with, though not lived in, and yet a good conſcience p. 37may ſtay by us: but if any ſinne lay waſte the conſcience by ſelfe-libertie, and preſumption: good conſcience flies, and therefore hold it.

To helpe you in this alſo, I1 How to hold a good conſcience. ſhall labour to ſhew you two things: how you may hold a good conſcience, and why you muſt doe it.

If yee would hold a good conſcience, yee muſt hold foure things,

1 The light of conſcience.

2 The love of conſcience.

3 The works of conſcience.

4 The charge of conſcience.

1 The light of conſcience muſt1 Hold the light of conſcience be held. Be a workeman never ſo good, hee cannot ſhew it, if hee want light to doe his worke by: ſo is it with conſcience. Now conſcience hath a double light: 1 the light1 The light of nature. of nature, which light ſtill preſents ſome principles to p. 38frame our life by, as that there is a God, that hee is to bee worſhipped, that we muſt doe to others, as wee would bee done unto: and if theſe bee not followed, conſcience checks. 2 The light of the2 The light of nature. word, which fully preſents the particulars of thoſe generalls, and ſhewes with what, how, and when God is to bee worſhipped: together with that honour, life, honeſtie, goods, truth, and quietneſſe of nature, wherein wee muſt ſo doe to others, as wee would they ſhould doe to us. If yee keepe not both theſe lights, conſcience can never be good.Three eies view all 1 of God. Heb. 4. Ier. 9.Heb 4Jer 9 There are three eies that look upon all things done: firſt, the eye of God who hath all things naked before him. Hee ſees and writes with a penne of iron, and point of a diamond: and either hee cenſures heere, p. 39or heereafter. Secondly, the2 Of the world. eye of the world: this ſees all things manifeſted; and would make you believe, thorough ſquinteyed jealouſie and ſuſpition, that it ſees more then it doth, and ſo paſſeth cenſures accordingly. Thirdly,3 The eye of conſcience. the eye of conſcience. This ſees all that it is enlightened to ſee: but if it have not light, it ſees not, and cenſures not; therefore hold the light of conſcience.

The love of conſcience2 Hold the love of conſcience Gen. 31.Gen 31 muſt be held, If ye love it not, it will away. As Iacob, when hee ſaw Labans▪ countenance changed, and his wages too, and that ten times, away he goes: ſo doth conſcience. As David when he ſaw himſelfe not loved in the court of Saul, away hee goes to the Philiſtines, Achiſh, wilderneſſe, any whither where hee could finde entertainement: ſo will conſcience p. 40deale with you. As therefore yee ſay of that you love, I thanke God for this, I would not bee without it: ſo ſay of conſcience, I thanke God for conſcience, I would not bee without it for a thouſand worlds: thus hold the love of conſcience.

The worke of conſcience muſt bee held too. It is an officer under God to determine, upon3 Hold the worke of conſcience information, of all our actions for excuſation, accuſation, conviction, or converſion: and can Gods officers bee idle? The officers of men may bee idle, yea, foundations may be out of courſe. The out-wardPſal 83.Ps 83 officers of God may bee idle too: magiſtrates and miniſters, may too often be found to bee idol ſhepheards: but this privie counſellour, and immediate internall officer,Zach. 11. 17Zech 11:17 conſcience, cannot bee idle. God ſits on the throne with p. 41it, and though it ſeemes to ſleepe, yet in ſtill ſilence it regiſters all acts and neglects, omiſſions, and commiſſions; and when a man would think that all is forgotten, then (In an evill day) it brings forth all, and layes it in order before us, Eccleſ. 12.Eccl 12to our ſhame and confuſion. Hold therefore the worke ofPſal. 50.Ps 50 conſcience; and what is that? It is threefold.

Firſt, to propound unto you from the light of nature, andThe work of conſcience is threefold. 1 To propound. the word, what yee ought to bee, and doe in the whole frame of life, and courſe of living. It layes the rule of GODS Image, and will, before you, and ſayes thus you ſhould bee, and doe ſo and ſo: as to Adam, I ſhould not have eaten the forbidden fruit, I ſhould have kept theGen. 2.Gen 2 covenant of my God; for hee ſaid, doe this and live: to David: I ſhould not have committed p. 42adultery, or contrived murther; for God hath ſaid, thou ſhalt not doe ſo.

Secondly, to apply (by way2 To apply of reflection upon themſelvs) what yee have beene, or done. I ſhould have beene, and done ſo, and ſo: but I am, and have done thus and thus. As to Adam, I ſhould not have eaten the forbidden fruit; but I have done it: to David I ſhould not have committed adultery, and murther; but I have done them: and to all of us, I ſhould have repented, believed, hoped, loved: but I have not done them as I ought.3 To pronounce.

Thirdly, to pronounce impartiall judgement upon your perſons & actions: as therfore I am a wicked man, have done fooliſhly, and am accurſed:2 Sam. 24.2 Sam 24 or therefore I am in Chriſt, have done uprightly, p. 43and am bleſſed. Thus David, I Pſal 119. Luke 1. 5.Ps 119Luke 1:5have gone aſtray like a loſt ſheep: thus the prodigal, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee: thus Paul, I was a perſecutor, blaſphemer, oppreſſour: & thus Hezekiah, I have walked before 2 Tim. 1. Eſ. 37.2 Tim 1Isa 37thee with a perfect heart. This work of conſcience will make you runne out of Sodom with a ſhowre of brimſtone at your heeles: or make you paſſe thorough the wilderneſſe under a cloud of comfortable protection: therefore hold it.

Laſtly, the charge of conſcience 4 Hold the charge of conſciencemuſt be held alſo. It hath a large Dioceſſe over every ſecret, and every manifeſt thing of yours in perſon, or by communion. It hath a charge over inclinations. Davids conſcience ſaw the inclinations & proneneſſe of his heart to cleave unto the duſt, and therefore hee flies to GOD, encline my heart p. 44Pſal. 119.Ps 119unto thy teſtimonies, and not unto covetouſneſſe. It hath charge over the underſtanding: therefore Agurs conſcience lookes upon that, and complaines, ſurely I am more brutiſh Pro. 30. 2Prov 30:2then any man, and have not the underſtanding of Adam in mee. It hath charge over the memorie: therefore God preſents memory to his people, they remembred not the Lord Iud. 8. 34 Pſal. 106. 7Judg 8:34Ps 106:7their God: they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies, that their conſciences might worke accordingly. It hath charge over thoughts, wills, affections, Eſ. 55. 7Isa 55:7and deſires. Let the unrighteous man forſake his thoughts, ſaith God to conſcience: Math. 15.Matt 15the thoughts defile a man, ſaith Chriſt to conſcience, therfore, how long ſhall your wicked Ier. 4, 14.Jer 4:14thoughts lodge within you? yee Ioh. 5.John 5will not come unto me that ye may bee ſaved, ſaith Chriſt to p. 45conſcience. Oh how I love thyPſal. 119. Pſal. 18. Pſal. 119. Pſal. 42.Ps 119Ps 18Ps 42 law! yea, I love thee dearly O Lord my God; I hate all wicked waies (ſaith David) from conſcience. My ſoule longeth for thee, as the hart panteth after rivers of waters; I deſire to bePhil. 1.Phil 1 diſſolved, & to be with Chriſt, ſay Davids and Pauls conſciences: but wicked mens conſciences ſhall cry at laſt, wee deſired not the knowledge ofIob. 21.Job 21 thy lawes. Yea, the charge of Conſcience reacheth to your words, and deedes. Yee muſt give an account of every idle Math. 12.Matt 12word to God, and your conſciences; of every idle word, that hath no naturall, civill, or religious end: therefore Davids conſcience pleaded againſt him, that he ſaid in his haſte, all Pſal. 31. 22. Pſal. 116. 11Ps 31:22Ps 116:11men are lyars, even Samuel himſelfe in his meſſage from God, and Peters conſcience laſhed him to the purpoſe for p. 46his deteſtable words in the high-prieſts hall. Davids conſcience alſo comes to his deeds, I have ſinned greatly in that I have done; I have done 2 Sam. 24. 10.2 Sam 24:10very fooliſhly & Ezra, when he preſented others conſciences as well as his owne, cried out, and now what ſhall wee ſay? Ezr. 9. 10Ezra 9:10for wee have forſaken thy commādements. O the large charge of Conſcience! As ye muſt hold the light of conſcience, the love of conſcience, and the worke of conſcience; ſo hold the charge of conſcience, that yee may doe as Paul would have you, hold a good conſcience.

Would you now know the grounds of holding a good 2 Why you muſt hold a good cō ſcience. 1 If it bee gone, God will be againſt us.conſcience? Doe but marke theſe foure that follow. Firſt, if conſcience runne away from you, GOD, & your own ſoules will be againſt you. Gods eyes p. 47are purer then to behold iniquitie, with approbation; and when hee with rebukes doth correct man for ſinne, as a moath hee makes his beauty to Pſal. 39. 11Ps 39:11conſume away: hee doth not preſently thunder out of heaven, but ſecretly gnawes out the comfort of their hearts, when hee is to Ephraim as a Hoſ. 4. Ier. 20. 3, 4 Pro 28 1 Levit. 26. 37Hos 4Jer 20:3Jer 20:4Prov 28:1Lev 26:37moath. He makes them plagues to themſelves, magor miſſabib, flying when none purſues, at the ſound of a ſhaking leafe, making every moate a beame, and every beame an whole houſe. Yea, by conſcience he makes them an whole wilderneſſe of woe. Hezekiah complained that God would breake all his Eſ. 38. 13Isa 38:13bones, that hee could not ſpeak for anguiſh of ſpirit, but chattered like a crane or ſwallow, and mourned like a dove Iobs bitterIob. 12. 26Job 12:26 things that God wrote againſt him; made him cry out, that p. 49the arrowes of the AlmightieIob. 6. 4. 8. Iob. 7. 14. 15.Job 6:4Job 6:8Job 7:14Job 7:15 were within him; ſcared him with dreames and viſions, and made his ſoule chooſe ſtrangling and death, rather then life. Davids bones waxed old with roaring all the day long, and his moysture was like the Pſal. 32. 3. 4.Ps 32:3Ps 32:4drought in ſummer, when Gods arrowes stucke faſt in him, thorough the power of conſcience. Therefore hold a good conſcience.

Secondly, nothing will doe 2 Without it nothing will doe us good. Pſal 51.Ps 51you good without a good conſcience. Have you all houſes, lands, gold, ſilver, kingdomes, Empires, they will do you no good without this; no nor faith it ſelfe: for a pure heart, 1 Tim. 1. 51 Tim 1:5and a good conſcience, and faith unfayned will goe together; they all worke one for another, a good conſcience riſeth from a pure heart: and faith unfained cannot bee without p. 49a good conſcience. There is aA fourefold ſting in ſinne. fourefold ſting in ſin; the guilt of ſin, the fruits of ſin, the ſervice of ſin, & the habits of ſin. Faith in Chriſt pulls out the two firſt, & a good conſcience from Chriſt the two laſt. If therefore yee would have any good of what you have, hold a good conſcience.

Thirdly, with a good conſcience3 With it nothing can doe us hurt. nothing can doe you hurt. It ſtands out againſt all the world. Let ſlanders come, Paul ſets the ſentence of his conſcience againſt them, with me it is a very ſmall thing that I ſhould be judged of you, or of mās Iudgment: for I know nothing by my ſelfe: & though this juſtifie me not before God, yet it comforts me againſt your clamors, Let a thouſand troubles come, Iob ſets his conſcience againſtIob. 31. 35. 36. 37.Job 31:35Job 31:36Job 31:37 them all. Let mine adverſary (ſaith he) write a booke againſt p. 50me, I would take it upon my ſhoulder, and binde it as a crown, and declare my steps, & goe as a Prince againſt him, yea, a good conſcience ſhal go with you thorough the pikes of death, and the grave. The warfare of our faith, & hope, ſhall end in ſight, and having but our love out of a good conſcience, ſhall paſſe all, and continue for ever.

Laſtly, a good conſcience5 It carries with at more then the whole world. Rom. 2.Rom 2 carries with it more then the whole world to do us good. It carries God along with it. If God go with an ill conſcience to accuſe, much more with a good one to excuſe & comfort. The ſentence is the judgment of conſcience, but as Gods interpreter: & what conſcience ſpeaks (when it is well regulated) God confirms, as ye ſee in Adam for ill, and in Iob for good. It carries all the hoſt of p. 51heaven and earth along, as Gods great and mighty train. The good conſcience of Daniel Dan. 6. Dan. 3.Dan 6Dan 3is attended with mild lyons; of the three confeſſors, with an unburning fire; of penitent Ionah, with a ſanctuary in theIoh. 2.John 2 helliſh belly of the whale; of Elijah with a raven to cook &1 King. 17 2 Ring. 6.1 Kgs 17:2 cater for him; and of Eliſha with an army of Angels to guard him. And if yours bee not ſo attended, it is with better; with the immortal ſeed of the word to make you bring forth unto life, and with powerfull praier, which landed Ionah, quenched the thirſt ofIon. 2. Iudg. 15. 2 King 19. Ioſh. 10. Ex. 32. 16Jonah 2Judg 152 Kgs 19Josh 10Exod 32:16 Sāpſon, ſlew an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand enemies, ſtopt the courſe of the ſun, and is the wel-pleaſing bonds of God to hold him cloſe to you for obtaining all good. Therefore hold a good conſcience.

p. 52Thus you ſee how you mayApplication. hold a good conſcience, & the grounds of it. Oh that I could now dwell in your ſouls, to ſet them on work, totry whether you conforme to this rule of holding a good conſcience, yea or no.

I finde ſome good people,Some think they have no good conſcience, and why? who (being clouded with temptations) think they have no conſcience at all, and therefore that they cannot hold it. They look for more in themſelves 1then God hath given: They meaſure Gods ſea, not their own buckets: and are therfore unquiet, becauſe they have no more. They ſet patternes before 2them too high for them to reach at an inſtant: Abrahams full ſaile of faith, Pauls chariot of conſcience, and thoſe firſt Chriſtians extaſies of joy, with joy unſpeakeable 1 Pet. 1. 18.1 Pet 1:18and glorious even in the fiery triall: p. 53and if they are not thus (though their caſes differ) downe they fall. They reade themſelves ſtill in a lecture of the law, and look for a deal of legall righteouſnes to purge cō ſcience, before Iustification by the bloud of Chriſt, made theirs by faith, to pacifie it: & if they have not, at the firſt Deus et natura non faciunt ſaltū.leap what they would, they put off good conſcience, as the high-prieſt Iudas, what is that to us?

I find more wicked people,Sōe think they have all good cōſcience, and why? who think they have all good conſcience. They ſleepe out the ſtorme, and doe not feele the heart-quake. The God of this world blinds them with proſperity. 1If he can, they ſhal not 2faile of profit, pleaſure, or honor, while the vines, & olives, and fig-trees are blaſted, the brābles grow to a full height: therefore their conſciences p. 54cannot but be good. They are 3rock't a ſleepe, and are not awake yet, they look not into the perfect law of liberty, and therefore (for want of fight) covenant with hell and death. Eſ. 28.Isa 28They have leaſure to doe nothing 4but to draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and ſin as it were Eſ. 5.Isa 5with cart-ropes: they ſtill their conſciences with ſweet words, & couzen them with outward Luk. 15. 1…. Matth. 7. et 25:Luke 15:1Matt 7formality. They are in their owne delights, as in their own proper places: and then as elements 5are not heavy when they are where they would be: ſo ſinne troubles not their conſciences while it is in its center. They are dead in ſinnes 6 ph. 2.and treſpaſſes; and if you lay the load of the whole world upō a dead man, he feels it not: ſo, nor conſcience the heavy burthen of ſin. But as a melancholick man, in his paſſionate p. 55pleaſures forgets his owne thoughts, but when the game is ended, he thinks more diſmally, though for the preſent he is ſet up to the merry pinne: ſo the poore ſinner layes aſide his penſiveneſſe to indulge to his preſenr fancy, till the time of rouſing comes. Hence, or from ſuch like ſprings, wicked men thinke they have a good conſcience, and therfore they thinke theyTherefore try whether yee hold good conſcience 1 Try the light of conſcience hold it: therefore it behoves you to try whether you hold a good conſcience, yea or no.

Do ye hold the light of conſcience? good ſoules do deſire to enform themſelves in every particle of Gods will for faith and manners, As a good maſter deſires to give light to his ſervants, that they may ſee to work: ſo deale good chriſtians with conſcience. But do not you love ignorance? Indeed, p. 56ye come to the church, and heare the word, but yee quickly lay it aſide, like a ſtrait payr of ſhoes, wherein he cannot go in eaſe. How ſhall conſcience work (think you) if it have no light? There is an in Lumen. 1 Innatum. 2 Seminatum.bred light which will helpe in ſome things; but if ye have not that ſowed light which the ſower went out to ſowe by the word of Chriſt, it is not ſo good as it ſhould. Workes of darkneſſe will bee committed by men …n darkeneſſe, who love not light, becauſe their deedes are evill: Doe yee therefore hold the light of conſcience?

Do ye hold the love of conſcience? you will all ſay, yes: &2 Try the love of conſcience I grant that ye love it as a dog loves a cudgel. It is ready to ſmite you at every turne, as it can ſpy day at a little hole, and to make your hearts heavy in the midſt of laughter, and doe you p. 57love this? A good mans loves it dearly. Oh ſaith he, let mee have a good conſcience ſtil! let a righteous conſcience ſmite mee ſtil: let it bee my counſellour, comforter, corrector ſtil. But had you not rather be without it? yee cannot gaine ſo much as you would for cōſcience: ye cannot drink ſo freely of pleaſure as you would for conſcience: ye cannot advance your ſelves as you would for conſcience, Oh how it troubles you! therefore ye wound it, ſmother it, ſtop the mouth of it, and will not heare it, though a good man might by it bee ſatisfied from Pro. 14, 14.Prov 14:14himſelfe, Is this to hold the love of conſcience?

Do ye hold the worke of conſcience? 3 Try the worke of conſcience Eſ 57.Isa 57A good man will let it perfect its work in the feare of God. He propounds fairly; he that is broken hearted ſhall bee p. 58comforted: he that is weary and preſſed down with ſinnes ſhalMath. 11. Apoc. 2.Matt 11Rev 2 be refreſhed: he that fights the good fight of faith, ſhall have the crown of life: he that adds to his faith knowledge, to his knowledge vertue, & ſo forth, ſhall make his calling and election 2 Pet. 1.2 Pet 1ſure, becauſe he ſhal neither be barren nor unfruitfull: hee that hath the fruits of the ſpirit,Gal. 5. 22. 23.Gal 5:22Gal 5:23 againſt him there is no law to condemne. Hee applies as truely: but I have a broken heart, I am weary of ſin, I fight faithfully according to ſtrēgth received, I chaine my graces together in act (as occaſion is offered) as I have them in habit, and as I have the fruits of the ſpirit in me: therefore hee concludes as neceſſarily, therfore ſo long as I continue in this eſtate, I ſhal have comfort heere, and ſalvation hereafter. A wicked man wil ſometimes p. 59ſuffer conſcience to work too, according to light: Abimelechs conſcience will not let him wrong Abrahams wife, whichGen. 20.Gen 20 comes not becauſe the conſcience is good out of faith unfained, but good out of feare and awe. But tell me: doe yee ſuffer conſcience to worke in all things? Then would yee ſo powerfully conclude againſt your ſelves, that yee muſt ſay,1 Cor. 6. 9. 10.1 Cor 6:91 Cor 6:10 I muſt amend, or periſh. No unrighteous perſon what ever, whether fornicator, adulterer, reviler, drunkard, covetous perſon, extortioner, ſhal inherit the kingdome of heaven: but I am ſo, and ſo; therefore in this eſtate, I ſhall never get heaven. Hee that neglects the call of God, ſhal call upon God, and God will not heare, but laughPro. 1.Prov 1 when his deſtruction comes: but I have done ſo; therefore God will deale ſo with mee. p. 60Hee that being often reproved, Pro. 29 1.Prov 29:1hardneth his necke, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed without remedy: but I have hardened my necke againſt all reproofes; therfore what may I look for (if I amend not) but deſtruction? Doe ye thus conclude for your amendment? Doe ye not rather conclude quite otherwiſe? Gods word ſaith ſo, & ſo; but I do not ſo do; or if I do otherwiſe, God will ſave ſinners, and I ſhall eſcape. Is this to hold the worke of coſcience?

Laſtly, doe yee hold the4 Try the charge of conſcience. charge of conſcience? What an univerſal biſhopricke hath conſcience over the whole man, and all of man? There is no inclination, imagination, power, thought, word, or deed, but it is under the power of conſcience, and do ye hold this? Davids conſcience looked p. 61to his inclinations; I wasPſal. 18. 23Ps 18:23 upright before God, and kept my ſelfe from my wickedneſſe. Agurs conſcience looked to his underſtanding & thoughts; if thou haſt done fooliſhly, if Pro. 30. 21Prov 30:21thou have thought evill, lay thy hand upon thy mouth. Davids conſcience looked to his words; I will keepe my mouth with a bridle: and to his deeds,Pſal 39.Ps 39 I ſaid I will take heede unto my waies. But as Chriſt did mourn within himſelfe, when he ſaw the multitude, becauſe they were as ſheepe without a ſhepherd: Mat. 9. 36.Matt 9:36ſo may you for the neglect of conſcience in all theſe. Yee are inclined to every evil way, yet conſcience takes no notice. How is your underſtanding overwhelmed with ignorance, and ſtuffed with worldly vanity? How are your memories charged with unprofitables, and your affections p. 62laviſhed wickedly, and yet conſcience is ſilent? your thoughts, words, and deedes, are not viſited by conſcience as they ſhould. It neither viewes, nor cenſures, nor corrects, as is meete. Oh why doe you not hold conſcience? Let it looke to every ſecret, and when it knows the duty, let it looke about and apply it (as need is) to every part & power of body and ſoule. This will work amendment for the preſent, and care for the time to come, and ſo ſhall yee hold conſcience.

It may be you will ſay, howHow to help to the holding of conſcience. ſhall I helpe my ſelfe forward to ſuch a glorious work? I anſwer, Get a a rich mine of grace and duty into your hearts. As a 1good man hath a good treaſure in his heart: ſo muſt you, by laying up the word in your Deut. 16. Pro. 6.Deut 16Prov 6hearts, and binding it to your p. 63hearts, by a powerful impreſſion. 1Preſent this treaſure to your conſciences, that it may make you ſmite your ſelves upon your thighes, and ſay, what have I done? Then 3walke in the preſence of God, as David, when I awake, I Pſal. 139.Ps 139am ever before thee: and then the ſervant will worke when hee is before his maſter. Next, have a ſetled watchfulneſſe 4over all your wayes, covenanting with heart, eyes, tongue, and hand, not wilfully to ſinne againſt God.

And laſtly, commit your 5waeyes to GOD by hearty prayers, and hee will rectifie all by the bloud and ſpirit of your JESVS: and ſo, ſurely, ſhall you hold both faith, and a good conſcience too, to the comfort of your ſoules, and to p. 64the Glory of your GOD, to whom bee praiſe, power, and Glory now, and for ever,

Amen.

FINIS.

Imprimatur

Sept. 1. 1638. Tho. Wykes.

End of the text · Robert Abbot, Four Sermons (1639)