Heaven Upon Earth, Sermons · Sermons on Acts 24.16 · Sermon 1
SERMON I.
ACTS 24. Vers. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
A Good Conscience is a singularly good Companion, the worth and benefit whereof is not readily so well known till men be brought into some strait; then indeed the passing great and singular worth and usefulness of it clearly discovers it self: as we may see in Pauls case here, who being arraigned before the tribunal of an heathen Judge, and having many enemies, and these too of his own nation having delivered him up; Among other grounds of Consolation and defence that he hath to sustain himself by, this is one and not the least, that … … did bear him witness, that it was his endeavour and work to live so before God and men that he might not have a challenge from it; and this makes him speak boldly against all his Accusers, and is better to him and more valueable then all the Arguments and Rhetorical Discourses that a Tertullus, yea a Tully, or the most eloquent Orator in the World could have used for him.
These words hold out a Compend and Sum of a Christian walk, and an excellent partern for Believers, Herein do I exercise my self, &c. where we have these three things considerable;
First, The Apostle's great design and aim. viz. To have a conscience void of offence, that he might so walk as never to offend his Conscience, nor to give it an ill report to make of him.
Secondly, The extent of this design and aim, and that …n a twofold respect. 1. In respect of the Object towards God and towards men, i. …. he would do duty to both, and be found without offence to either. 2. In respect of all Actions, Companies, Places and Times; he was so exercised always, not after a Sermon or Communion only, not under some heavy Cross, or after some notable outgate and delivery only, but he aimed, designed, and endeavoured to be so constantly and equally.
Thirldy, The manner of his going about this, Herein (saith he) do I exercise my self, i. e. it was a business that took him up and held him seriously at work; he was as a man who fighting for his life in a Barras, or at a single Combat carefully handles his Arms, even so did he carry and behave himself in all things as if his life had stood on every action or word.
I shall at once and together propose several Doctrines clearly deducible from the Text, the prosecution whereof will help to clear both the words and the matter contained in them.
The first whereof is, There are many sorts of offences both toward God and toward men that we are subject an… lyable to.
The second is, There is within every man a Conscience that takes notice of every piece of his carriage, and is accordingly affected with it, and affects the man for it.
The third is, What-ever things are offences toward God or Men are also offensive to the Conscience, whatever sin strikes against his Law wounds the Conscience.
The fourth is, It's a very good, choice, and excellent thing for a Believer to walk so, as to keep a Conscience always void of offence toward God and toward Men; and on the contrary it is a very ill thing at any time to have offence toward either of them lying on the Conscience.
The fifth is, It is the duty of all men and more especially of Believers to walk so, as they may always keep a Conscience void of offence, yea it is not only a duty, but we may look on it as an excellent mean for advancing of Holiness.
The sixth is, Where men honestly aim to keep a Conscience always void of offence, it will be an exercising and uptaking thing.
The seventh is, Where this exercise is neglected and not seriously carried on, the Conscience is left to stumble at, and to abound with, offences.
As for the first, That there are many kinds of offences which People are subject to, toward God and Men; It is a thing uncontroverted by all, and we need say little of it; only first, There are sins against the first Table, which are offences toward God, being immediatly against him▪ And there are sins against the second Table, which although they be against God, yet immediatly they touch and reflect on men. 2. There are sins against God that are secret, which God only is witness to: and there are open sins which scandalize men, Paul endeavoured to eschew all these, for all are …ins against the Law of God and wounding of the Conscience.
The second is, That there is a Conscience within every man which takes notice of every peice of his carriage, and is accordingly affected with it, and affects him for it: This is the ground of all that follows, and had need to be more particularly spoken unto: This truth then contains these three things, 1. That there is a Conscience in every man that takes notice of every peice of his way and walk, hence it is said to bear witness, 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing, the testimony of our Conscience, &c. and it is also said to accuse or excuse, Rom. 2. 15. it witnesses for men and excuses and comforts them when they do well, and witnesseth against them, accuseth and reproveth them when they do evil; and so is to them as a Check, Captor or Censor: The Apostles aim to have a Conscience void of offence suppons that he and every man has a Conscience, and that it takes notice of every thing, and will take offence if it be a thing that thwarts with it: We shall not in this place stand to debate what Conscience is whether it be a power or a faculty, an habit or an act, which as it would not be much for your edification, so it would transcend the reach of many of you; only in the general we may call it a power wherewith God hath indued the soul of man to take notice of all his thoughts, words and actions. 2. We say …ts accordingly affected with every thing, when the man does right it is pleased, and when he does wrong its offended and wounded, as we may see 1 Cor. 8. 10, 11. so 1 Sam. 24. 5. Its said Davids heart smote him, and Prov. 18. 14. this is called a wounded spirit. 3. As it is affected so it affects the person, when a man has done well, it excuses and clears him, and when he has done evil and wronged it, it challenges and accuses him; in which respect Conscience is called a Iudge, pronouncing sentence by absolving or condemning men; Scripture and the experience of all sorts of people and times clear and prove this, 1. The Scripture says of Heathens, Rom. 2. 15. That their conscience bears them witness and their thoughts the mean while accuse or excuse one another; it holds out this to have been in Adam, who immediatly after the fall, Gen. 3. 10. says, I heard thy voice and was afraid, terror seized on him; it mentions this also to have been in Iosephs brethren, who Gen. 42. 21. say, we are verily guil…y concerning our brother; and in David in that forecited 1 of Sam. 24. 5. where its said, that his heart smote him; it's clearly also supposed 1 Iohn 3. 19, 20, 21. where the Apostle says, If our heart condemn us, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God; where we would take notice, that what is here, and sometimes in the Old Testament, called the Heart, is in the Text and else-were called the Conscience, which supposeth this to be in every man: It is further clear from the daily experience of all in all times; for sometimes it is pousing to duty, sometimes it is challenging for the omission of duty, or for commission of the contrary evil; sometimes it is speaking peace, sometimes it is marring peace and denouncing war as it were; all which plainly evidence that there is such a thing in men, so Herod when he heard of Christs Miracles, his Conscience puts him in mind of Iohn the Baptist whom he had beheaded, and disquiets him with fears that Iohn might have been raised from the dead; something of it appears likewise in Achab, when it puts him to put on Sack-cloth; all which (I say) plainly evidence that there is such a thing in men, and beside full Scripture-proof, there are none but if they observe, they will find their thoughts the mean while, either accusing, or else excusing them.
For further clearing of this, we shall speak a little first, To what this Conscience is, if it be possible satisfyingly to explain it. 2. To the use and ends of it, and why God hath placed this in man; where we shall shew the several sorts of Consciences that are in men, good and evil.
For the first, to wit, What Conscience is, we may for coming at the understanding of it, consider the name Conscience, which signifies a co-knowledge, or a knowledge going along with our knowledge: which we may consider, First, As looking to Gods knowledge going alongst with ours, and ours going alongst with his, and thus it implyes as his knowledge of all our thoughts, words and ways, so our knowledge together with his of these, or our taking notice of them with respect to his knowledge. 2. We may consider it as reflex-knowledge joyned with a direct knowledge, as for instance when a man hath a direct knowledge of Prayer as his duty, and a reflex knowledge going along with the practise or exercise of the duty, whereby he sees and discerns himself, either to behave suitably in it, or to be faulty; in this respect Conscience is a practical knowledge taking notice by a reflex act of a mans ways. 3. We may consider it as comprehending a knowledge of Gods Law, and then it signifies a knowledge of our selves compared with the Law, it hath knowledge of the rule, and so of what is duty and what is sin, and withall it hath in it the knowledge of our selves and of our conformity or disconformity to the rule; Conscience then in this respect is a mans knowledge of Gods will and of himself as compared with it. 4. We may consider this co knowledge as it supposeth beside the knowledge of our selves, the knowledge of something taking notice of us, or of something deputed in us by God to keep a record of all our carriage and particular actions, and so it is looked on as some way different from us; hence it is called a Testimony, the testimony of our conscience. Hence also a man will appeal to his Conscience; and it doth when in any measure in exercise, impartially and incorruptly bear witness, and a man… Conscience will speak against him as if it were at all no part of him, neither can he command it silence; however then we call it, It's a power deputed in the soul of man by God, taking orders from Him and f…om▪ His revealed will and word, and accusing or excusing the man as He directs; It's called Prov. 20. 27. The candle of the Lord, it is above man in its sentencing and accusing, and will not be commanded by him.
To clear it yet a little further, there are in Conscience these Three things, 1. There is the laying down of some ground, such as the Law, or the word of God, by which it puts a man to tryal; which is, That we call the major or first proposition of the Argument: As we may see in Iudas when his Conscience wakened, it layes down this ground (which is done by light) he that is guilty of innoceat Blood, hath broken the Law of God, and may expect horrible Wrath. 2. There is an assuming, which is the minor or second Proposition of the Argument, or the Assumption, if the man be guilty of such and such sin; As thus, But I Iudas am guilty of Innocent Blood, and have broken the Command of God, (and this the Conscience by it's Testimony confirmeth) Then 3. It draweth the Conclusion, and speaks forth the mans Lot, and gives out his Doom, what he may expect; as in the present instance; thou Iudas mayest expect horrible Wrath from God, this Conscience applyes, and layes home unto him; every Conscience hath these Three in less or more. The way of Conscience its Reasoning and Concluding, is different from a mans Knowledge and Light; For a man may see Sin and not be touched with it: It d…ffers likewise from the memory; For a man may remember that which affecteth him not. It differeth from Self-examination; for that, if it be mee… examination, brings a man only to know that he lyes under such and such Sins, so and so circumstantia…ed; though it make use of all these Three as it's Instruments, yet it go… beyond them, and hath a Pricking, Stinging, Paining Power; It Accuseth, Sentenceth, Smiteth and sharply Censureth: Whereas, before Conscience act it's part, a man may look often on his Sins, and yet but overlook them; And as to things that are right, Conscience doth not only or barely look on them, but it hath an approving Testimony, which proveth comfortable; there is such a thing as this in every one of you, which will let nothing pass, but more or less will take notice of it, and either accuse or excuse you for it.
As to the 2d. The use of Conscience, or the Ends wherefore God hath put this in Men and Women, which I shall draw to Three heads; that may be as so many Reasons of the Doctrine.
1. He hath done so for this end, that by it he may keep up his Soveraignity, Power and Terribleness; and keep men under the awe and dread thereof; For this which is called Conscience, will make the sto…est to tremble, it will Write and Impress so v…vely and deeply these great Truths, that none shall be able to blot them out, that there is a God, that there is a Judgement to come, and that all will be called to Reckoning, which none will get eschewed, It will fix and fasten such selfconvictions on Sinners, as will make them un-avoidably condemn themselves: So Iohn 8. 9, 10. When the Scribes and Pharisees bring a women taken in adultery to Christ, intending thereby to trap and insnare him, He sayeth, He that is without sin amongst you, let him cast the first stone at her; Whereby their Consciences were made to bear such faithful Testimony against them, and to carry such terror with it, that they were all forced to steal away one by one; and yet they needed not to have thought shame on account of any thing we hear men could have challenged them for; But Conscience had such an awe and force on them, that there was no resisting of it. Scripture-history does also tell us that such is the power and force of Conscience, when it is awaked, that it will make the knees to smite one against another, even of a Belshazzar, and will make a Gouernour Felix to tremble.
A Second end is, That God may hold Men and Women at their duty, in going about these things which are commanded and prescribed by him, and in abstaining from forbidden sins; For, if there were not some awe from Conscience, what extravagancies would they loosly run into, who have no fear of God and of his Word? And thus Conscience hath a force to put men to duty, in these respects. 1▪ It discovers Duty, and holds it before them, when the Lord hath commanded to Pray, read the Scriptures, to keep the Church, and wait upon Ordinances dispensed there; to keep holy the Sabbath day, &c. Conscience puts a man in mind of these, and when he neglects any one of them, will say to him, thou shouldest be in another place, or about other work; so when Davids heart smote him, it helped him to see his Duty. 2. There is an obligation to Duty laid on by Conscience, so that the man cannot shift it, he cannot, he dare not say, such a thing is not my duty, for Conscience beareth it in and layeth it on him convincingly. 3. There is an efficacy in Conscience to pouss to duty, from this comes that restlesness and disquiet that is often in Men and Women, when duty is omitted that they can have no peace till it be gone about. 4. Conscience inviteth to duty, by promising peace upon the performance of it: On the other hand, Conscience hath influence to restrain from Sin. 1. By discovering such and such a thing to be Sin, and though the Soul would notwithstanding endeavour to digest it, yet Conscience makes a challenge to go down with it. 2. By threatning the Sinner when it's warning is neglected, and not taken; telling him that he shall repent it one day, and that it will make him repent i…. 3. By taking away the sweetness of Sin, and leaving a sting in place of it; as when Achab killed Naboth, it said, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And from this arise challenges, and fears of the execution of threatned Judgements, which quite mar the comfort the man expected, in the enjoyment of such and such a thing; in all which it keeps a majestick and stately divine way becoming Gods deputy, and bears witness for him against the Sinner.
A 3d. end is, To abbreviat (as it were) Gods process in judging men, to justifie and clear him, and to make way for his Sentence whatever it be; 1. It conduceth … it were, to the opening of the Books, to the sisting and putting of all persons in a posture before him to be Sentenced by him; it doth in a manner all, so that God hath little or nothing to do, as it were, for it discovers to a man what was his Duty, and his Sin. 2. It citeth him to compear and answer for neglecting such and such a duty, and committing such and such a Sin, and he connot possibly shift compearance. 3. When he doth compear, it giveth in a L…bell of Accusations against the Man, and a Catalogue of all his Sins, in thought word and deed, this and this (will it awefully say) thou didst at such and such a time, in such and such a place, aggravated by such and such circumstances. 4. It serveth to be a witness, yea in place of a thousand witnesses, and there is no denying or shifting of what ever it beareth witness to; All which we may see in Iosephs brethren, Gen. 42. 21. who say one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us and we Would not hear, therefore is this distress come upon us; The Law discovereth that it was a Sin, Conscience challengeth and accuseth, they are cited, the accusation is given in and proven, this and this they did, and did it with all these circumstances; not a pitiful word that Ioseph spoke, nor a tear that he shed in the anguish of his Soul, beseeching them to desist, but they remember it now; and there is no shifting of the challenge and accusation, nor covering of it, as they had done before to their aged Father Iacob; but they must needs now take with all, and confess we have sinned, and are very guilty concerning our Brother, &c. 5. It passeth Sentence, and in this respect, the heart is said to condemn when the thing is evil, and to absolve or not condemn, when the thing is good, 1 Iohn 3▪ 20, 21. 6. When it hath Sentenced and Condemned, it leaveth not the man so, but goeth on and executeth the Sentence, and turneth a gnawing worm to bite and gnaw, and as an Executioner to Buffe… and Smite, to Damp and Torment the Man; Thus ye may see how useful Conscience is to help forward Gods Judgement, and to vindicat him in his Sentence: And as it is thus with a guilty Conscience, so it is with a Conscience absolving, it will absolve when men condemn as we may see in Paul here; when men give in a lybel and accuse, it will discharge, as Acts 23. 1. Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day: and when Conscience hath absolved it maketh cheerfull, as 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c. And 1 Iohn 3. 20. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God: So then we see Conscience hath these Three great uses and ends, 1. To keep people in awe of God, and of his greatness, and to keep them in mind that they must give an account to him. 2. To hold them at their duty, and they should be very loath to contradict it. 3. If duty be neglected, to record all their faults, and to accuse and sentence them therefore, and never to leave pursuing them, for Conscience will continue as a worm in hell gnawing for ever and ever.
The First Use serves to bear in this truth on you; that there is such a thing as Conscience, the most ignorant and profane and haughty of you all, whether young or old, one and other of you have a Conscience, that taketh particula… notice of every thing in your walk, that recordeth all, that accuseth or excuseth; and though ye take not head to it now, ye will one day be made to know it; take it therefore for a certain truth, that ye have such a thing within you, that ye have a Knowledge with your Knowledge, even a Conscience that remembreth when ye would forget.
The minding of this is useful, 1. To make people cast out with Sin rather then with their Conscience. 2. To make them wary that they take not liberty in secret to Sin. 3. To make them take kindly with reproofs for Sin; Remember therefore that there is a Conscience in every one of you▪ Ye will possibly think it needless to press this, and I wish it were so, but we may shortly point at these evidences, to prove that many on the matter think they have not a Conscience.
The First is, That they take so little pains to prevent a quarrel from their Conscience; how many omit, balk and step over Dutie, and go on in Sin? Which they durst not do if they believed that they had a Conscience. 2. The few challenges that most have under many Sins, and their living in such peace and security, as if they had not a Conscience to disquiet them, many Men and Women know, and are as little acquainted with challenges and convictions, and stand in as little awe of Conscience as if they had none at all; Hence we use to say, that such a man has not a Conscience, because, though he have it, he regards it not; and such a m…n has a Conscience, because he maketh use of it, and listens to what it says. 3. That people seek more to approve themselves in outward and seen Duties, than in inward and secret ones, and look more after mens Approbation then Gods, and lean more to, and lay more weight on outward testimonies from men, then to, and on inward ones from their own Conscience. If Conscience were really believed to be, there would be as great aw of God, and as great loathness to Sin in secret, as before many witnesses.
But ye will Object and say, seing every one hath a Conscience, what can be the reason that many care so little for Conscience?
Answer, 1. What is the reason that men care so little for God? If they care not for the Lord and Master, it's no wonder they care so little for the Deputy and Servant; shall we therefore think that there is not such a thing at all as a Conscience in such? No, by no means; it will prove indeed, that they slight Conscience, but not that they want a Conscience. 2. There is in many men a contending with and provocking of Conscience, which in Gods righteous Judgement maketh a silent Conscience; when the Lord maketh Conscience quick, and sets it on to reprove and check for Sin, and men do not listen to it's checks and reproofs, Conscience offendeth, and will not reprove: Conscience being Gods Deputy, taketh Orders from him, and when God will …ot vouchsafe a word of reproof on a man, neither will it; Ephraim is joyned to idols let him alone, saveth the Lord, Hos. 4. 17. And from Rom. 1. 20, 21. We may see the cause why God giveth up the heathen to a reprobate mind, to do things that are not convenient, To be their going cross to the light of nature, and their natural Conscience, and not only doing things sinful, but taking pleasure in them that did them; therefore they are given up to do greatest things without check or challenge: Hence it is thus in part at least, with many Professors within the visible Church, for thwarting with Conscience; and indeed a silent and dumb Conscience is a great plague, for if it cease to be a reprover, and speak not, men, nay, even godly men, may and will sleep on, as David, after the going over the belly of his light, and blunting the edge of his Conscience slept long enough, till Conscience at last roused him up: Hence also the Apostle speaketh of some Consciences which were seared with an hot iron; which is not so to be understood, as if Conscience were flesh, or of a fleshly substance, only he maketh the comparison, that as a mans flesh is sensible of, and affected with the prick of a pin, so is Conscience with Sin, while tender; But as the flesh of a Man or Beast, when it is seared or burnt, a considerable thurst will not much, if at all affect it; So is Conscience, when stupified, and made sensless, by multiplied Sins against light, it groweth so cauterized and seared, that hardly any Sin, or challenge for Sin is felt. 3. Men want not a Conscience, though they hear it not always speaking; for Conscience may often be speaking when they take not head to it; As is abundantly clear in David and Iosephs brethren, for that which is the Death▪ evil of a natural man, may sometimes be the sore and dangerous sickness and distemper of a child of God; And though Conscience may speak but softly for a time, yet thereafter it will speak louder, and make it known that it spoke when it was not listened unto: The day cometh when the Books will be opened, and Conscience will speak plainly, smartly, and home, and it concerns you all to know, that Conscience is not absent when it is quiet; but that it will speak, and speak to purpose in due time, and that as a party with whom there is no Trysting till it come before the great Judge, and then it will give in what it hath to say; and it will then be evidently known that there was a Conscience in the prophanest person, who most cauterized it, by going over the belly of it's Light and Suggestions.
The 2. Use speaketh to you that live at randome taking great Liberty and Latitude to your selves beside the Rule, O! do you believe and remember that there is a Conscience within you, and that it will call you to a Reckoning? sure, if ye did in good earnest, ye would be other manner of men: It's generally granted, that there is a Conscience in all, and the prophanest will have Conscience often in their mouth (and indeed their Conscience is little worth) when they stand in no aw of it, but rather trample on it; Let me tell you, the greater Light ye have, and the moe means and warnings ye are priviledged with, the greater will be the aggravation of your guilt, and the more dreadful will be your Ditty, and Doom from God, and from your own Conscience; If Conscience will be an impartial Witness, and severe Judge against all, even Heathens, who never heard the Gospel. O then! what access will it have, terribly to reprove, condemn, smite and gnaw you that live under the Gospel, and hear the word dayly? Many of you have some stickling and stirring of Conscience within you; but alace! ye know not what it meaneth, and would be quite of it, but from this Word, be exhorted to know who hath appointed it, and for what end it is appointed, and make use of it's warnings; … for others that know it, and go on sleeping securely in your Sin, I must say this to you, that the more knowledge ye have of it, it will certainly make you to have the more dreadful wakening▪ When all the kindreds of the earth shall houl at the seeing of the son of man▪ and stand trembling at his presence. O! what a scrich and cry will Conscience have in that day, louder (I conceive) in some respect, then the Trumpet it self, setting home the Truth of Challenges, bearing witness of the fact, and representing the horrour, terror and torment abiding them; therefore think on it, O! think on it, all ye who continue in Sin and will not be reclaimed, who mock at all Warnings, and break all Bonds, and will not be subject to Discipline, ye shall not be able to shake off the Bo…d of Conscience, but it shall bind you as the Colar of your Coat, and keep you bound till ye be …isted before the Judgement Seat of God.
Use 3. Seing ye have a Conscience, let it not be silent, idle and usle… ▪ but put it to speak, and do you hear what it saith, and take you warning from it; it will not be Bribed, Budded, nor Boasted; It's a sore matter to have a Conscience, and never to take notice of it, nor of what it sayeth. I shall now only, seing there are some good and some evil Consciences, as they are, or, are not informed, beseech you to study to have a well informed Conscience, especially, since, where it is well informed, it cannot easily be budded, nor soon prevailed with, to suffer things to come under debate and controversie wherein it is clear: a just regard too, and the right use-making of Conscience would notably promove Holiness, and nothing readily doth more obstruct it then the not taking heed to Conscience, and not laying due weight on what it sayes. Though many of you do now look on it as nothing, or a thing of little moment, yet ye will find it to be a greatly momentanious thing, O! that God who hath given us Consciences may be graciously pleased to give the right use of them.