Forty Sermons, Sermon 5
SERMON V. OF THE EXERCISE OF CONSCIENCE, In the avoiding of Offence towards God and Men.
Acts 24. 16.
And herein do I exercise my self, to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man.
MY text is the sum of a Christians practical duty; for as St Paul had in the verse before set down his faith and hope, here he sets down his workings. In the words we have
1. The state of that duty exprest foreign, a onscience void of offence.
2. That is brancht out into its several respects, foreign towards God, foreign and towards man; and those either
1. As the objects of that which a good conscience endeavors and means, an unblameable conversation in thos duties that look towards God, those of Devotion, Piety and Godliness; or of those duties that look towards man, those of Justice and Honesty, particularly so call'd. Or
2. God and Man here may be look'd upon as having both to do in being the rule of Conscience, God's law, and man's also, that is, the just laws of lawful Superiors, both obliging it: and a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man is such an one as does not onelyonly not offend God nor man, in that which God commands to be don to himself and to the neighbor, but such also as doth not offend in what man, the lawful Governor, commands: for to these we must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but conscience sake.
3. Here are the seasons which this Conscience do's respect, and they are all seasons foreign alwaies.
4. The interest St Paul does seek after in this condition foreign in this Jexercise my self; as on one side it is not fancying or opining, often hearing, no nor talking of conscience, but exercise and doing; for the Christians life is foreign, a constant exercise, and that is at once his duty and profession here: so on the other side, it is not perfect possession of this state; there is no such thing as perfection in this life, but laboring towards it. In handling which parts I shall thus proceed.
1. Having in word explain'd foreign, I shall enquire what are those offences that must be remov'd in order to that state that's here describ'd; and having clear'd the conscience of those, 2dly view the latitude and extent of its obligation, see how it respects both God and man, both as the rules and objects of its acts, and as we go along, we shall direct the practice of that duty which St Paul did labor in, how we must exercise our selves that we may be in such a state, which is the 3d thing and the application of all. foreign may be understood from the use of that word as 'tis taken either passively Phil. 1. 10. that ye may be foreign without offence, not led into evil by mistakes of what is good, or any other color whatsoever; or else as 'tis taken actively 1 Cor. 10. 32. foreign give no offence to any man; which as the context proves is but the same, and means, let nothing that you do be such as may induce another man to sin; lay not foreign rocks of offence or stumbling blocks in any Christians course: and therefore in my text foreign is such a conscience, as does not induce the man himself to any sin against God or man, and a life that is not led into it; a conversation that is according to such a conscience, is that which St Paul aims to have, and which that we may have, all such foreign we must endeavor to remove, which what they are, I told you, was to be my first inquiry.
And the first is error of judgment, which makes an erring conscience; such a one as gives false information of duty, which either tells me that I may or must do that which God's law or some other law in force upon me saies I must not do, or else tels me I must not do that which I may, or am perhaps bound to do. A rock of offence this, upon which many men do split, and make ship-wrack of a good conscience; and which is worse error of judgment, call'd by some new light, is such a light indeed, so plac'd between the rocks as must needs guide the Mariner upon them, make it necessary for him to be wreckt; for in this case sin lies on the right and the left hand, which way soever he does turn, he falls upon it. For first if this man act against his erring conscience, he sins, altho the Law of God do not make the act sin Rom. 14. 14. to him that esteemeth any thing unclean, to him it is unclean; altho St Paul saies there, he knew it was not in it self unclean, yet so it was to him, and that to such an height, that the man whose example wrought with any one to eat against the perswasion of his mind destroieth him v. 15. 'Tis therefore a destroying sin to do a thing against the express judgment of the mind. And all the reason in the world; for since good or evil do not, nor can move the will as they are in themselves such, but as apprehended, and according to the notion we have of them in the mind: 'tis certain therefore every motion of the will to good or evil, consequently every good or evil action must be formally accounted such from good or evil things not in themselves, but in the apprehension of the mind; that is, according as our consciences dictate to us they are good or evil. And indeed no law of God or man, no rule of duty can be appli'd to us but by the mediation of conscience; for till that tell me such a thing's commanded and my duty, it is to me as if there were no such command and it were not my duty, for till then I am not conscious it is, know nothing of it. This alone therefore does propose and apply duty to us; and consequently whether that which it proposeth be my real duty in it self or no, yet I must needs look on it as so, as having no direction in the world besides what to do or forbear, but what my conscience some way instructed tells me, God or my Governors require: while therefore that does absolutely tell me such a thing is unlawful whether it be so or no, while that perswasion lasts, the soul yet judges it unlawful, and consequently if the heart embrace it, then it does deliberately embrace unlawfulness, which tho it be not in the thing, is yet in the choice. I like and follow that which in my judgment is vicious, and be it in it self what it will, 'tis so to me; 'tis evident the inclinations and actions pursue vice, when they pursue that which they cannot look upon but as vice. And therefore St Paul saithaRom. 14. 23. what soever is not of faith, whatsoever is contrary to the persuasion or judgment of lawfulness, i. e. in other words, what is against conscience is sin. Conscience therefore is the rule from which it is sin to recede.
But you will tell me, where the conscience errs, the rule is false and crooked, and so must not be follow'd; but the rule of this rule, God's Law, and not the conscience, must be obei'd. Good counsel if it could be follow'd; for certainly if the man know what God's Law does require of him, in that case his conscience does not err; if he do not know what God's Word requires, how then can he follow it against that which his conscience tells him God requires? and it is sure if the man should suspend his action, or have reason not to act according to his erring conscience, he never can have reason to act according to a conscience well inform'd: for it is plain his conscience does as much propose the error as his duty, as it does the truth; the man as really believes the one is to be don as the other, and hath no reason to make difference, and therefore if at any time he must follow his conscience, he alwais must, and t'will be sin to act against it, be it what it will.
But then you'l hope it will excuse to act according to it. No alas, this is but the other rock, it is sin too to act according to it. The proofs are very pregnant Gen. 12. 17. Because of Sara Abraham's wife the Lord plagu'd Pharaoh with great plagues and all his house, namely those that had commended her before him v. 15. and so had contributed to the offence. On the same account he plagu'd Abimelech Gen. 20. 17. altho in the 6 v. God saith, he knew Abimelech did it in the integrity of his heart, and tho Abimelech did plead the same to God, he did it innocently v. 5. yet in the 9. v. he expostulates with Abraham, what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my Kingdom a great sin. Again St Paul affirms of his own nation Rom. 10. 2. that it was out of zeal to God and his Law they persevered in infidelity and opposition to Christs doctrins, yet for that very opposition he affirms, that they were hardned and design'd to everlasting perdition. And Christ saith of the same Jews John 16. 2. that the time would come, when they that kill'd his Apostles and Ministers should think they did God service, foreign think they offer'd an oblation. The error was so strong, it made the sin look like Religion and Attonement, yet that zeal and conscience was plagu'd with wrath that came upon them to the uttermost, even to an utter extirpation: or to restrain our selves to our Apostle, he saith of himself v. 1. of the foregoing chapter, I have liv'd in all good conscience before God until this day, and therefore when against Christ's reformation he defended the Mosaic Law, and persecuted the opposers of it, he did all out of a good mind, according to the dictates of his conscience, sincerely what he was perswaded that he ought to do; and now if conscience could excuse, here was enough of that, a good Conscience, and could his fiery persecutions by vertue of that conscience be christian'd holy Zeal? could his pure heart make his bloody hands undefil'd? Oh no! 'twas a1 Tim. 1. 13.blasphemy, and persecution, and injury, for all 'twas conscience. If this seem strange, that acting thus according to the conscience should make men such sinners, since all facts are estimated cheifly by the heart that they proceed from, by the good or bad mind they are don with, that is, by the conscience of the doer; we must know, that where the error is not the effect of any carnal prepossession or principle, but truely error, there the sinfulness in this case lies not altogether formally in acting so according to their conscience, unless first the conscience take up perswasions & give sentence without a sufficient inquisition, when there is the least appearance of a danger that 'tis plain such a perswasion may engage us in a state of sin, we must examin strictly, and this seems the case of Pharaoh and Abimelech; they were glad to think Sarah was Abrahams sister, therefore made no close inquiry, were content with his once saying so, and on that account, altho the one and afterwards the other took her in the innocency of their heart, the text saith, they committed a great sin, for which God did plague them. Especially 2dly if men have bin call'd on to consider, had the opportunity of means of conviction, such as God will judg sufficient in their circumstances, then retaining those perswasions, following such an error gives it that which is equivalent to wilfulness, makes the guilt. This was the Jews case and St Pauls, tho Moses Law were given by God himself, confirm'd by wonders, and by such a constant series of Gods most immediate dispensations, as might give them just cause to believe it was their certain duty to adhere to it, yet when God judg'd Christs works together with the Prophecies that went of him, had given a sufficient testimony to his Reformation, the Jews resisting that, tho out of zeal to God, and in obedience to his Law and to their Guides the Priests and Sanhedrim, were harden'd to excision for it; or if, as 'tis most certain, they were leaven'd into aversation to Christs doctrine by their expectation of a pompous Messiah, his Religion did not serve their sensual ends, 'tis to be fear'd the same do's influence the more sincere and erring party of the Church of Rome; yet St. Paul also, tho out of a good conscience doing so, esteem'd himself theb1 Tim. 1. 15. chief of sinners for so doing. 'Tis the too hasty taking up, or the too obstinate retaining this erroneous conscience, makes the sin it does ingage into be so exceeding sinful; therefore certainly whoever lets their conscience be surpriz'd by prejudice, or warmth of mind, much more ambition, pride, revenge, or incidental discontents and disobligation, reputation of a party, interest, design, if these or any sensuality tho but lurking indiscernably (cJer. 17. 9. for the heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?) have given any tincture to the heart and pufft a passion into conscience, or if in the uprightness of their heart they took up their perswasions, yet if they retain them in the least on any such account, or else however if they do not hearken to, examin any calls or means, which God does either by his Providence or Ministers offer the opportunities of, for their conviction, specially if by seeing good and wise men do judg otherwise, they have any cause to doubt, and yet persist still, and retain the error, it is this that spoils the Conscience, so that while it errs it does ensnare the man, entangles him in a necessity of sinning, leads him into such labyrinths of guilt that whatsoever he does, he offends: if he do what his erring conscience dictates to him, then he sins against God's Law, if he forbear, he sins then against God's Vicegerent, his own Conscience; there is the guilt of his deed, here the guilt of his heart, which does oblige a man to follow that which it is sin to follow, and which makes him, he must and ought to do that which he must not, ought not to do.
And then the onelyonly application to such a Conscience is to advise the laying it aside, to rectify the error; good counsel this indeed, but hardest to be taken in the world. For that a man may set himself to rectify, he must know himself in an error, and if he know that, he hath not an erring Conscience; this when it is such strongly, the man does not so much as doubt of his opinion, and while he does not doubt, what temtation can he have to think of rectifying? especially if men are perswaded that their Conscience is directed by such Guides as cannot err. We cannot but remember how the violation of all Laws and of all rights sacred and secular, sedition and rebellion, and such other dreadful consequents as we must not remember, being dictated by conscience, undertaken on account of Religion were esteem'd the characteristics of a godly side; nor are we suffer'd to forget, how the same things undertaken on account of holy Church make Saints and Martyrs: for let not men pretend these are not Doctrines or directions of the Chuch of Rome. There is no one of the rebellious parties, but it may with much more truth and modesty affirm they are not theirs, since they have not declar'd them so authentically; and if we are not sure these are their doctrines, 'tis impossible to know that they have any, for none of their doctrines have a greater attestation. If som few declaring their opinion to the contrary, shall against the declarations of the Tenets of their Scholes, and the directions of much greater numbers, their Casuists, the rules and practice of their whole law, the determinations of particular and general Councils, make them not to be their doctrine, then no Church hath any doctrines. Now, if as one side of these pretend some to a Divine Light within themselves, some to the Divine Spirit speaking in the Scriptures for their Guide, so the other plead the public Spirit of the Church speaking at least in the Assemblies of their general Council most infallibly, and consequently all of them must judg it is impossible their Guide can err; how is it possible to prescribe means to rectify the errors of such Consciences?
But should I pass these guilts of the first magnitude, to which 'tis wonderful a Conscience can be debaucht, and err into them, should I mention one that's common to all of them, violating the Laws, disturbing the Peace of the Government, unhinging the constitution of it by illegal meetings to disseminate their principles, and make more errors, and more separation, wider breaches. I shall not tell these, that the Church no where gives a privilege to any to assemble not for Gods own worship, from whose principles or practices the State hath reason to expect commotions or sedition, the diminishing their secular Powers, or endangering their persons, and on that account forbids them. Sure I am, there is no one word in the Gospel for it, and I leave all the mentioned parties, Popish or the other, to consider whether they have bin so innocent as not to be suspected justly? and would onelyonly ask each party of them, whether it alone have right to act according to its conscience thus and otherwise against the Laws, so that all others, what sincerity so'ere they act with, have no privilege? or whether it be the Christians birth-right, and due to all others? If any party say, that it alone hath right, besides that all the rest will never grant this, nor have reason for it, and so all must quarrel; yet if they do say so, sure there's nothing else but truth or confidence of having it, can make them judg so: but since every the most erring conscience does and must beleive the truth is with him, he hath the same reason, so contentions must be endless, & this state of conscience is just the Leviathans state of war; besides that this pretence of any single party for it self makes war with the hypothesis it self of liberty of conscience. But if they grant all other Sects to have just right to act according to their conscience, then those that really believe the doctrine of their Church is true, their ways blameless, and the statutes which restrain the liberties of the Recusants and the Dissenters are all just, those of them also that have sworn obedience to these statutes, and those Magistrates and Governors too that are bound by oath to the execution of them, and to take care of the peace of their Subjects, and hold that, as 'tis, a duty and an obligation in conscience on them: these, I say, have just right too to act according to their conscience also, and by consequence to execute the Laws upon those others; and then, I am sure in conscience, and according to the very rules of all these men of liberty, those have a right to take away their wild and dangerous liberties, and by the very Principles of all these Dissenters are as much bound in conscience to restrain them, as they think themselves bound to use those liberties according to their conscience. Yea these are bound in conscience to suffer all their Governors to put restraints upon them; because to do so is for them to act according to their conscience, or if they think (as 'tis not strange if they think contradictions) that they have a right in conscience to contend for this with Governors, who yet they acknowledg to have a right too to restrain their liberties, (since all, as themselves have granted, have the same right,) there must needs be endless quarrels and contentions both with Governors and with themselves, and just of all sides, in which each hath right, which is another contradiction also; and so still this state of conscience will be the Leviathans state of war, and must dissolve all Government, as being inconsistent with it. Whether any consequents in prospect or design can make this state of things allow'd and eligible, or how far Governments can properly secure themselves, if it be allow'd, which yet 'tis certain that they have a right to do against the clamorous pretences of all conscience whatsoever as to Church Laws: yet how far they can, I say, secure themselves against such sorts of men … side, who declare that their Government it self is sinful; or … t'other side a sort of men, who not onelyonly here in this Nation, after the most dire and hateful treason ever hatch'd or thought of, were not, nor are suffer'd by the Guides of their conscience, by their Pastors neither their Supreme one nor their particular Confessors, to give assurance of their civil obedience and allegiance to their own Prince. But in France, after the murder of two Kings by them, both of their Religion, when as Lewis the 13th did design, and ask the advice of his Parliament, to make provision for his own safety and assurance of the Loialty of his Subjects by an Oath (a thing by Gods own People, since 'twas a Kingdom, practic'd) all the Clergy, those Directors of the consciences of that Nation, were so far from suffering it, that they made the King to cause the Parliament to raze out what of it was drawn and registred in their Journals, professing to his face that they would excommunicate all as Heretics that were against that Proposition, that the Pope could depose Kings. But 'tis not this, but how to secure Governments against it, to rectify the erring conscience I would speak to; and if the sense of any sacred obligations, if the calamities of Church or State, that cry aloud bemoaning the effects of conscience thus let loose, call upon him to consider, and at least suggest the duty of examining his conscience, then the foreign here of the text, the exercises that are like to have an influence upon him, besides humble praier to Almighty God for a right judgment in all things, together with a hearty resolution not to suffer any principle or interest so to engage him to a practice or opinion, but that, if God will please to shew him light, he will follow it strait, and utterly forsake those paths, to which he was misguided by the error of his mind, and so begins to act accordingly as well as he can. Now such a resolution hath a promise,dJohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or not. Besides this, I say, let him thus exercise himself, when any thing offers it self to practice, and gets this holy advocate of its side, brings conscience to plead, then I will search and examine strictly that same action, first undress it quite, see what it is naked by it self, and then ask not what fine motives, what good end it hath, but where the rule is for it. If it be in things merely Spiritual, then what Law of God; but if in other things, what Law of man, what just subordination to Gods will is there for this action? For laws, not zeal do make the rules for Conscience: for Conscience being nothing but a full perswasion, judgment, dictate that a thing is either duty under obligation, is according to a Law that does command it, or else is unlawful, is against a Law. If Conscience shall tell me such a thing I am bound to do, but I have no Law of God or man for it; or else such a thing I must forbear, it is a sin, absolutely unlawful, but truly I can bring no Law in force against it, sure I shall easily reject the clamors of this Conscience, for it talks contradictions: for nothing can be unlawful, but what is against a Law. If, tho there be not express Law to forbid or command, yet I see grounds that stagger me, and several hard things which incline to my opinion, this does not make the erring Conscience: for that is dogmatical and positive, and must have law, doctrines and grounds of probability; those onelyonly make a doubt, the next offence I mean to name.
An offence this, that whosoever stumbles at, does fall into the lowest pit, for he that doubteth, is damn'd if he eat Rom. 14. 23. Now the state of a doubting conscience is this, either the man in himself really believes the thing he does consult of is forbidden, but yet seeing the example of some man he hath esteem for, or else hearing some good probable grounds to the contrary, does entertain some doubt whether it be so bad, and upon that without being resolv'd, yea thinking still it is a sin, yet ventures on it: in this case tho the man may have some hopes it may not be a sin, yet judging in himself it is, and choosing notwithstanding, it is plain he does not onelyonly venture at, but chooseth sin, and therefore sins. This was the very case of the weak Christians in relation to eating things offer'd to Idols, which St Paul there speaks of. Or secondly, if he do not absolutely in himself judg it a sin, yet really do's doubt it is, and without endeavoring to be truly satisfi'd by all appointed fit means, does it howsoever; this man does as much as resolve I know not what it is I am about to do, I doubt 'tis sin, but I resolve to do it, tho it be so. Now this is a wicked resolution, and the consequent action must be so too: it is as much as saying, I resolve to venture Gods displeasure, rather then loose the satisfaction of that action; now whatsoever otherwise the action be, yet such a resolution stains it with a vicious tincture, by infusion of that wicked purpose.
To bring this to our own concerns, if my lawful Superior command a thing by an establish'd law, which yet either by some obscure place of Scripture, or by the silence of Scripture, or some inference of my own from others having put that action to an evil use, or the infusion of some Teacher of whose holiness I have an opinion, I doubt whether I may do it or no, and cannot satisfy my self, in this case, if the man that doubts comply, without acquiring any satisfaction, do it merely too because he will not be obnoxious to the penalty of law, 'tis clear he does it with a doubting conscience, and so sins; but if he thus discourse, (which is the proper foreign for such a conscience to remove this offence) I am sure God hath commanded me to obey the lawful commands of my lawful Superiors, now am I sure this is not lawful? No, that I am not, for I onelyonly doubt; why then I must needs also doubt it may be lawful, therefore I must needs doubt God hath commanded me to obey them in this, and then if I refuse I must needs do that with a doubting conscience; for if the thing be lawful, I am sure I sin in not obeying, and I doubt it may be so, and so not doing will have the same guilt, which by not doing I endevor to avoid.
Now if whatever the action be, as long as I know not certainly whether it be lawful or unlawful in it self, I shall have equal guilt in the refusal (altho there be no scandal or contemt) as I can fancy to my self in doing; and if I cannot satisfy my doubt my self, since I have then no other way to seek for resolution, but from those whom God hath set over me, shall not the reasons and commands of my Superiors, the example of all those that are obedient, weigh as much with me as the opinion of some whom I think holy, or some little color which can onelyonly make me doubt? If I be not sure it is unlawful, and am perfectly assur'd of my duty to my Superiors, this certainly ought to suspend my other doubt, and in so doing I am sure, I take far the more probable and safer course; and he that does so, cannot have the guilt of a doubting conscience, for the resolution of that was clean another thing: I doubt there may be sin in it, however I will do it, whereas this man that he may take the safest course to avoid sin, resolveth thus, merely for fear there may be guilt in my refusal, I do that which otherwise truly I would not do.
I cannot pass by this reflection here, how there will come a time, when it shall be more tolerable for the erring or the doubting conscience, notwithstanding their sad consequences, than for those that hold the truth in unrighteousness: the one sort of these have some checks at sin, they doubt and they demur; the other sort sin merely because they would please God, and offend out of zeal; but the other sin because they will sin. If actions lawful otherwise will make up an indictment to our condemnation, don but with a doubting mind, what guilt and what damnation is there in those that are undertaken against known command and present full conviction? that muster up and recollect all the forementioned guilts, which when they were divided, did make actions so ruining; at once they defy God and their own heart: if he that doubts is damn'd if he eat, tho what he eat were lawful to him, what will become of him that eats to surfetting, and knows that such things call for condemnation? with what face can he blast a deceiv'd honest Heathen with his Gods, who in the face of God, and of all Laws, in view of a believ'd hell, and in despite of heaven and of his own conscience that suggests all these to him, yet by frequent intemperances makes his belly his god, and by uncleaness that new testament idolatry, sets up as many idols, as his foul heats find objects, and by dishonesty and frauds serves covetousness, which is idolatry? They, who defy their conscience thus, are in the ready way to a reprobate sense, the last offence that I will name.
When the heart gives a false judgment of things,eIsaiah 5. 20. calls evil good, and good evil in the Prophets words, 'tis not uneasy to deduce how arrive at this. There is no pains bestow'd upon the education of their childhood, they are made indeed to renounce the Devil, the evil Spirit is exorcis'd out of that hold he had of them on the account of being born children of wrath; but no provision for the Holy Spirit taken care of, rather all that's possible is don to grieve him thence, and so the evil onefMatth. 12. 44, 45. returns, finds the house emty, and takes to him seven spirits worse than himself, and they dwell there; or to speak out of parable, there are no principles of virtue planted in them, no labor us'd to make impressions of Religion and the fear of God, the sense of duty, aversation to all vice; but as far as conversation, with example of all lewdness, can have influence, they are bred and fitted for the Temter, and when they and temtations are grown up, it is no wonder if they tast, then swallow down the bait, and so are taken: then they get to themselves principles, that may stop the mouth of natural conscience; either Religion do's not mean so strictly, or against the strictness they oppose the custome of the age, or honor, or the like, and these together with the conversations of sin do clean take off the aversation, and so by degrees the sense, the mind first leaves to be afraid and startle at it, and then leaves to check at it, and having don this long, the custome stupifies the conscience, and makes the sins seem necessary to them, and they cannot be without them, and the absolute necessity makes them conceit them little sins, and in a while no sins at all: stick not to say, those terrors Clergy-men do talk of, are but Mormo's, but religious spectres. We have this daily experience, that loosness in practice quickly grows into irreligion in heart, that they who with all might and main do long resist the power of Godliness, do at last proceed to cast off even the very form, and they who would not receive the love of the truth, but did prefer the satisfaction of their humors, prejudices, passions, lusts before the doctrine of piety and virtue, tho it came with the greatest evidence of reasonableness; that such, I say, are given over to strong delusions to believe lies, even lies of so eternal unhappy a consequence as this, that virtue and religion are but emty names, that conscience is but prejudice: such are those St Paul describes 1 Tim. 4. 2. foreign, men of branded consciences. Now we use to account that person infamous that's branded onelyonly in his hand or forehead, but these are men of stigmatiz'd hearts, there is a brand upon their soul and conscience; and you will find some other characters upon them there, they depart from the faith, they give heed to seducing Spirits, lay out for a Religion that will give them hopes of safety tho they sin on, and to doctrines of Devils; fit Scholars for such Tutors, seeds of a blessed education they have, that have such Instructors, and such they have whose consciences are branded: and the whole progress of their wickedness you will find Rom. 1. from v. 18. because they hold the truth in unrighteousness, join'd impious lives with the profession of the true Religion, were vicious in despite of their own understandings, which told them, they should not be so; upon which great proficiency in guilt v. 24. God withdrew his grace, left them to the pursuit of all their foul desires, permetted them to break out into all reproachfull villanies, sins that were violences, contumelies to their nature; yea v. 28. because they acted perfectly against all notions they had of God, he gave them up to that abominable state of mind, to have no sense of guilt, to have a judgment so perverted, as not to think things of the most forbidden and most detestable nature to be foul, and then see what a shole of consequents break in: from v. 29. feind vices, things that do not onelyonly merit hell, but possess, enjoy, and make the place. These are the entertainments of those Regions, but none more essential than those v. 32. they not onelyonly commit those things, but have pleasure in those that do them, do not onelyonly favor themselves in the transgressions, (for to that men may have some temtation from the flesh) but to evince their understandings are debauch'd, their consciences corrupted, and that they are of a reprobate mind, they take pleasure in others committing them, from which they have no pleasure, can enjoy nothing but the villany of being glad that others are debauch'd and vitiated, this recommends men to them. And truly now I have no words for them, they do outgo expression; I may apply that which thegPsalm 14. 1. Psalmist saith of the fool, in his heart there is no God. I am sure there is none in theirs, that will not let his Deputy be there, not suffer conscience his Vicegerent to be within them; and it were well, if they could exclude it for ever. But alas! when their sins and pleasures shall begin to die, then conscience will revive, and be their worm that never dies; however they have stupifi'd it here, then it will gnaw eternally, then oh that they could have no conscience, no sting, no lash: but it will be an immortal feind to them, and that which they so much trample on now, will then be their great hell.
And now I can prescribe no exercise will remove this offence, when the conscience is past feeling, then it is past cure. The onelyonly method is prevention here, the onelyonly foreign to keep the conscience tender; then it will be sensible of every the least touch of guilt, check at whatever we shall do amiss. Conscience is the eie of the soul, now tenderness is a disposition very proper to the eie, it is the tenderest part of the whole body; and if the conscience be right, that is so of the soul: the smallest spill or mote is restless agony to the eie, it never leaves to force out tears, both to bewaile the torment, and to wash away the cause. I am sure our Savior calls a sin of the least size or guilt foreign, Matth. 7. 3. things that should make the conscience as restless, fret into lamentings, prick passages for repenting sorrow. The conscience of Converts always does so, Acts 2. 37. When they heard this, they were pricked in heart; and indeed this is the necessary constitution of Soul for them that ever hope to have their conversation holy: he whose eie is not tender, 'tis not useful; if it be not sensible of spills that get into it, it cannot be sensible of objects, such a callum as will make it not feel, will make it not see; and when it cannot perceive pain, then it cannot direct or light: and so the conscience, if it feel no grievance from thy vices, it will never boggle at them; but when it is tender as the eie, then it will rowl and weep, if any thing disturb it, 'twill be restless till it free it self. Let other Souls be tickled, when they feel the pleasures of a sin; but, Lord, let my heart smite me, then the stroke and smart may make me fly the cause. Let sin, that and cruel Serpent, sting, stab, wound me thus; for then it will make outlets for its putrifaction, it will draw tears to cleanse me from it self: and sure after the bloud of Christ, there is no other laver to wash away the foulness of my sin, but that which gushes from those wounds of spirit, nothing else will quench the power of it. This tender conscience will preserve the whole conversation pure, if its respects be universal, if its cares reach to the whole latitude of its object, if it be void of offence both towards God, and towards man, which shews the extent of its obligation, and is my next consideration, of which in a few words.
Void of offence towards God and towards men, a conversation unblamable in all things that relate to God or man, both these must be join'd: the Honesty without the Godliness is but Heathen Morality, and the Godliness without honesty but Pharisaical Hypocrisy. 'Tis just that which our Savior describes and sentences Matt. 23. 14. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long praiers; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation: as if their long and earnest praiers pull'd down nothing else but woes and condemnation on them, and their more religion gain'd them but more hell. The one of these for all his honesty, if he have not piety, he is without God in this world, nor shall have any thing of his heaven in the other, whose life did not look thitherwards, but aim'd no further than a conversation that was regular betwixt man and man. The other, the dishonest man, notwithstanding his Godliness, shall be without God in the world to come; for sure he is not fit to live with God in that, who is not fit to live with man in this: who will not behave himself honestly, must not think he can live religiously; nor can that help him towards Gods rewards, that does but help him to the greater condemnation. So that they must be join'd, and our conscience must be void of offence towards God and towards men; and that not onelyonly as the objects of our duty, but the rules.
That Gods Law is the rule of conscience, that we are bound to do what he commands, I think I need not prove; in this I have onelyonly to wish, our practice were as orthodox as our opinions. But that man can oblige the conscience, that laws however just of our rightful Governors are a part of this rule, and we are bound in conscience to observe what they would have us do, many men doubt; there bene qui latuit, bene vixit, a close offender does not sin, and if they come not under the lash of the Law, they think the conscience hath no whip for these offences; yet Scripture is express Rom. 13. 5. Wherefore you must needs be subject, not onelyonly for wrath, but also for conscience sake. again 1 Pet. 2. 13, 15. submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, for so is the will of God. I do not here set down that humane Laws oblige the conscience immediatly, it is enough for me they do it by Gods constitution, that what we do so is for his sake, and 'tis his will that we should do it; and then he that does not obey, he breaks the will of God, and so does that which a good conscience must needs tell a man he must not do. I know some have found out a subterfuge, that onelyonly passive obedience is required in conscience, not active; and tho this interpretation would secure the Magistrate, for men must not rebel against that rod, which they are bound to submit to: yet
1. 'Tis strange a man should not be bound in conscience to obey the Law, yet should be bound in conscience to suffer for the not obeying it. What reason for this difference? Sure if either, 'tis most reasonable to escape the punishment, if he can. But
2. What sense will they make St Paul speak, * wherefore ye must needs be subject, not onelyonly for wrath; if wrath mean punishment, as it certainly does, and be subject signify submit, not actively, but submit to punishment, as they will have it, then it means, therefore a man must submit to punishment not onelyonly for punishment, or for fear of being punished, but also because he is bound in conscience to bear the punishment: now 'tis indeed impossible that a man ought and is necessitated to submit to the penalty of the Law for fear of the penalty of the Law, be bound to suffer a thing for fear of suffering that very thing, or that he may escape that very suffering, which he is bound in conscience too to suffer. These are contradictions. But of the active obedience the sense is plain: we must obey their just Laws, not onelyonly that we may avoid their punishments which we shall suffer if we obey not, but because we are bound in conscience to obey. All the Apostles instances also being of active obedience, and the whole reasoning of the place evincing it, might serve for further evidence, but this shall suffice me for proof; and St Paul truly seems to take in these here in the text, for amongst several things laid to his charge, some against God himself, as prophanation of his temple v. 6. he was accus'd of being also pestilent, a mover of sedition v. 5. to all which he answers in my text, that he was so far from prophaness in Religion and his duty towards God, and from sedition in the State, that he did exercise himself in this alone, in laboring to have a conscience void of offence in all things, by God or his Governors commanded.
And this president of our Apostle, every one that hears me knows, the true sons of this Church always follow'd, both in doctrine and in practice, even to the Martyrdom not onelyonly of their persons, families, but of the Church it self. Not like those holy Church-men who account themselves exemt, no subjects to the secular powers; nor those others, who withdrawing their obedience in all things which they do not like, do seem to own no powers but themselves, are Subject onelyonly to their own minds.
Now he that does thus exercise himself always, (which is the onelyonly thing that I have left to speak to,) is in that state of Christian perfection, which the Travellers to Heaven, while they are upon the way, can arrive at: for that must needs be a good life, which is regulated by a good conscience; for if a conscience do its part, do neither err nor doubt, but is tender in all, in a word, if it inform truly in all duty, and thou doest accordingly, thou doest all thy duty: therefore all good life is call'd by the name of a good conscience 1 Tim. 1. 19. and plainer Hebr. 13. 18. We trust we have a good conscience, willing in all things to live honestly, sincere endeavors to obey in every thing, a conscience that is right in every thing, not boggling with it, accepting the persons of duty, (being very consciencious in some things, but taking liberty in others,) and being so foreign always, not by fits, having onelyonly Paroxysmes of Religion, now and then very consciencious, otherwise loose enough, but to be so in all respect, and at all times: this was the sum of all St Pauls endeavor, he had no stricter aims, this was the height of his Religion, this his exercise.
Yet why should I call it his exercise, when it is his enjoiment? 'tis his ante past of heaven it self. The applauds of an honest undeceiving heart that is conscious to it self of this in earnest, they shed comforts into every state of life, beyond all that the earth can give, they shed the peace of God that passeth understanding. If my conscience be clear, let my condition be never so overcast, I live in shine; let them be troubled with afflictions, or with sad expectations, who understand no delights but carnalities, whose souls are married to some little comforts of this world, adversity indeed sweeps all their joys away at once; but he that understands the comforts of a good conscience, and knows where to find them, and who hath a treasure of them in his breast, will soon be able to allay the other sadnesses. What can I want, if I have a continual feast, and such is a good conscience: let all the world look black upon me as long as I have light within me, and in that light can see a pleasantness upon Gods face. Yea it is this indeed must make prosperity contentful, when to the candle of the Lord, the light of his countenance also does add its shine; when I have no ill remembrances, either as to the possession or to the enjoiment; when my heart assures me I did neither get it ill, nor use it ill, 'twas truly Gods gift to me, and I strive to make it an instrument of my service to him. This is transfigur'd prosperity, but without this, for all the hurry of mens pleasures, something will now and then rejolt worse than surfets, and come up bitterer than the gall of ejected riots, and they shall find their great provisions are but variety of nauseousness, onelyonly plentiful vexation, and a jolly restlesness, while they are here; and then when they but think of going hence, hEcclesiasticus 41. 1.O death! how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man, that lives at rest in his possessions, to the man that hath nothing to molest him, hath hath prosperity in all things; and if he have the sting of conscience to imbitter it, which will be sure to stir at such a time, alas! how unconceivable a sadness must then dwell upon that soul, that can think nothing kinder to it self than hell. But he that can at such a time say withiEsaiah 38. 3. Hezekiah, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walk'd before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have don that which is good in thy sight, then if God do not send a message of fifteen years, yet he will add to him an everlastingness of years of joy; if his days do no return, nor the Sun mount back again to give him a more full noon light, he shall be taken to the fountain of eternal light. Oh let me have that light, that will enlighten the sad approaches of the dark grave; that, when I am going to make my house in a black lonely desolate hole of earth, will be like the day spring of immortality, like the dawn of heaven, and such glimpses will break in thro a clear conscience. 'Twas that which made the Martyrs run to the fires of execution as to fires triumph, and they look'd upon their flames as on Elijah's chariot's flames, that flew upwards, not with hast to their own Sphere, but the Sphere of Martyr's Heaven, and whose brightness did prelude and expire into Glory.