The Souls Looking Glass, Treatise · Proposition 3
Propoſition III. The office of Conſcience is to bear witneſſe, to accuſe or excuſe.
COnſcience is put into this office by God himſelf. It is Gods officer:III. Propoſition. The office of Conſcience is to bear witneſſe. Not onelyonly his regiſter-book that ſhall be opened at the day of judgement, wherein is ſet down our thoughts, words and deeds; but it is a preacher alſo to tell us our duty both towards God and towards man: yea, it is a powerfull preacher; it exhorteth, urgeth, provoketh: yea, the moſt powerfull preacher that can be; it will cauſe the ſtouteſt and ſtubborneſt heart under heaven to quake now and then; it will never let us alone till it have brought us either to God or to the devil. Conſcience is joyned in commiſſion with Gods own ſpirit to be an inſtructour unto us in the way we ſhould walk; ſo that the ſpirit and it are reſiſted or obeyed together, grieved or delighted together: We cannot ſinne againſt conſcience but we ſinne alſo againſt Gods ſpirit; we cannot check our own conſciences but we check and quench the holy ſpirit of God.
The office of conſcience to our ſelves is, to bear witneſſe: My conſcience beareth me witneſſe, Rom. 9.5.ſaith Paul. Conſcience is alwayes ready to do this office, if it ſhall at any time be invited unto it: For conſcience looketh ſometimes for inviting; ſometimes it will not bear witneſſe unleſſe we invite it and call upon it ſo to do. But there will come a time when it will do it and muſt do it and ſhall do it, namely at death or at judgement: then it will bear witneſſe whether men invite it or no. Now it may be ſuppreſſed and ſilenced and kept under from witneſſing; but then it muſt bear witneſſe and ſhall, either excuſing or accuſing, acquitting or condemning, when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of mens hearts, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.
Foure Properties of Conſcience.The properties that are given unto conſcience in the diſcharge of its office are foure: 1. It is ſupreme; 2. It is impartiall; 3. It is faithfull; 4. It is privie.
1. It is ſupreme: It hath higheſt authoritie; it is the moſt uncontrollable and ableſt witneſſe that can be: the greateſt, weightieſt witneſſe in the world; better then ten thouſand witneſſes. Though all the world do condemne us, yet if our own conſciences do not, we need not fear: And ſo on the contrary, if conſcience do condemne us, it will be ſmall comfort though all the world flatter and commend and excuſe us. It is a ſupreme witneſſe: Though all the Angels in heaven ſhould come and bear witneſſe, their witneſſe is not ſo uncontrollable as conſcience is. There is no appealing from the witneſſe of conſcience; we muſt …e tried by it. If conſcience do acc…ſe and condemne us, the Lord onelyonly is greater then our conſcience, 1. John 3.20. and will give judgement with it when it doth its office. And if our conſcience do not condemne us, we may be confident to ſtand before all the judges and kings in the vvorld, yea, we may have confidence towards God, ſaith the text. And as conſcience is ſupreme in bearing of witneſſe, ſo alſo it is ſupreme in commanding. All the commands of it are powerfull and ſupreme: it will not be ſlighted: it bindeth kings and princes: Nay, though God himſelf command the contrary, yet can we not diſobey conſcience without ſinne. By this it appeareth, that when conſcience doth witneſſe its witneſſe is ſupreme; when conſcience commandeth, its command is ſupreme.
2. Conſcience as it is ſupreme in witneſſing or commanding ſo it is impartiall in judging. It reſpecteth no perſons, no eſtates, but accuſeth the richeſt as well as the pooreſt, the greateſt as well as the meaneſt. It made great Belſhazzar ſo to quake that the joynts of his loyns were looſed, and his knees ſmote one againſt another, Dan. 5.6. It made great Felix to tremble to heare Paul ſpeak of righteouſneſſe and of judgement. Felix thought to ſcare Paul; but conſcience ſcared Felix. So on the other ſide, it is impartiall in excuſing. It will give evidence of the good works of the pooreſt in the world as well as of the wealthieſt. Art thou never ſo mean? thy conſcience will be as ready to excuſe thee if thou haſt done well, as if thou wert the greateſt. It is impartiall in its office: Others, it may be, dare not or will not accuſe, but conſcience ſpareth none, no not it ſelf: Though its accuſations do load and burden and torment it ſelf, yet it will do its office.
3. Conſcience alſo is faithfull in its office and ſincere. It alwaies ſpeaketh of us as it thinketh: It may be deceived and miſtaken for a time, but it never ſpeaketh contrary to what it thinketh: It is a faithfull and ſincere witneſſe of our thoughts, words, actions, and courſes, whether they be good or evil, ſo farre as it is illightned by Gods word. It ever giveth evidence aright; it never flattereth nor condemneth any without a cauſe: It is a faithfull and a very upright witneſſe. Others may diſſemble with us, and commend us and applaud us when we are naught, and call us good men and good women when we are nothing ſo: but this will tell us plainly how vile and ſinfull we are; and if we ſay we are good when we are not, it will tell us plainly we lie.1. Jo…n 2.4. He that ſaith I know him, and keepeth not his commandment…, is a liar. Mark; though he ſay it, yet his conſcience giveth him the lie. It is faithfull again in excuſing. It beareth witneſſe of every good dutie we perform and of whatſoever good is in us. Though all Jobs friends ſpake evil of him, and God himſelf by his outward judgements ſeemed to condemne him for a wicked man, yet ſtill his conſcience (like a faithfull witneſſe) did not forſake him nay, it offered to reaſon with God himſelf,Job 13.3. I would reaſon with God: I know I ſhall be juſtified, and I will never forſake mine innocency till I die. Still his conſcience ſtood for him and excuſed him. Thus on both ſides conſcience is a faithfull and ſincere witneſſe: it will not be corrupted to ſpeak otherwiſe then it knoweth the matter is.
4. It is moſt privy to what it doth witneſſe. It is more privy to what we have done then all the world: It can ſay more for us or againſt us then all the world. Thou knowest all the wickedneſſe that thy heart is privy unto, ſaith Solomon to Shimei 1. Kings 2.44.
The uſe of all this is;Ʋſe. Seeing conſcience is ſo ſupreme, ſo impartiall, ſo ſaithfull, ſo privy, we ſhould take heed how we do any thing that might give it advantage againſt us. If we were to appear before an earthly judge to anſwer for our behaviour, and ſhould have a companion preſent continually with us, marking every thing in us, telling us of every fault, and witneſſing it againſt us unto the judge, how carefull would we be of doing any thing that might give him advantage againſt us? Lo, we have conſcience as a continuall watch-man, eſpying out all our wayes, ſetting down whatever we do amiſſe, checking us for it for the preſent, and one day accuſing us before God and ſetting all things in order before our faces; Oh how ſhould we then labour to get into Chriſt Jeſus, that our conſciences may be purged in his bloud, and ſtudy all our life long to keep peace and friendſhip with them. Wo be to them who live in their ſinne…! They will need no other witneſſe to come againſt them to condemne them for ever but this witneſſe conſcience which lieth continually in their boſomes.
This I have ſpoken for the office of conſcience, which is to bear witneſſe either with us or againſt us: Now the parts of this bearing witneſſe are, firſt, its ſingle witneſſing; ſecondly, its judiciall witneſſing. By ſingle bearing witneſſe I mean that conſcience beareth witneſſe what we have done, and what we do, and what we intend to do, and what we are: By judiciall bearing witneſſe I mean that con…cience doth paſſe ſentence on the ſame whether it be good or evil, whether it be concerning the action or the perſon.
Firſt, therefore of the ſingle bearing witneſſe of conſcience:Of Conſciences ſingle bearing witneſſe. And that is about three things: 1. What we have done; 2. What we intend to do; 3. What is the frame and bent of our heart.
1. It beareth witneſſe what we have done; what in our childhood, what in our youth, what in ou… riper age, what openly, what ſecretly. Thoſe things which ſeem to be forgotten conſcience will remember them to us: Like a writing in marble, though it may be filled and choked with duſt and covered with rubbiſh, yet when that is done away, and the ſtone ſvvept clean, then the vvriting vvill appear legible; ſo though mens deeds may for the preſent ſeem to be forgotten, yet they are vvritten in their hearts vvith a pen of iron and the point of a diamond, as Origen obſerveth upon Jer. 17.1. Novv the thoughts and care… of this life put them out of our minds; but the time vvill come vvhen all vvorldly buſineſſe ſhall ceaſe, and the onelyonly buſineſſe ſhall be to look into the records of conſcience. We uſe to ſay, Conſcience hath a very good memory. The chief buttler had forgot his promiſe unto Joſeph; but his conſcience remembred him of it two years after:Gen. 41.9. I remember my faults this day, ſaith his conſcience. Adonibezek had forgot his cruelty; but his conſcience brought it to his mind:Judg. 1.7. As I have done ſo God hath requited me, ſaith his conſcience.
2. Conſcience beareth witneſſe of what we intend and purpoſe to do, whether againſt God or man. It will teſtifie every purpoſe and project of the heart though it be never acted▪ though it die in the heart and never come to light. Men little think of this: Tuſh (ſaith one) I never did ſuch a thing, though I once intended it, or had ſome thoughts …bout it. Mark; thoſe very thoughts will conſcience bring forth and teſtifie what they were. Heare the Apoſtle; in that day God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men, &c.Rom. 2.16. The moſt hidden things conſcience ſhall bring to light, and Chriſt ſhall judge them.
3. Conſcience beareth witneſſe of the bent and frame of our hearts, what we affect moſt and love moſt, and rejoyce and delight in moſt, and deſire moſt and grieve for moſt, what our affections runne upon moſt, whether upon God or the world, whether upon heaven or the things of this life. Conſcience bare witneſſe to David,Pſal. 119.77. that his delight was in the law of the Lord, that God was his portion, that Gods ſtatutes were his counſellours. Conſcience bare witneſſe to the falſe teachers in Chriſts time, that they affected vain glory and the praiſe of men more then the praiſe of God. Conſcience bare witneſſe to Demas, that notwithſtanding his fair profeſſion his heart was ſet upon the world. Conſcience bare witneſſe to Jehu, that for all his ſeeming zeal his heart was not upright.
Ob. 1. Jer. 17.9.But it may be objected, How can this be? The heart is deceitfull above all things: who can know it?
Anſw.Who can know it? That is, Who elſe can know it but a man himſelf? None under God can know the heart of man but a mans own conſcience, the ſpirit of man that is in him. I confeſſe a man may be ignorant of ſome ſecret and particular deceit in his heart: but who knoweth not the generall ſtanding of his own heart? or may know the chief bent of his own ſoul. David in a particular deceit was ignorant:Pſal. 30.6. I ſaid in my proſperitie, I ſhall never be moved, never diſtruſt God more, never be diſquieted in my mind more. He was deceived in that particular; but he knew very well the generall and chief bent of his heart, that it was truly ſet upon God and upon holineſſe. 2. It is true, many men take it that their hearts are ſet upon God when they are not: but what is the reaſon? Not becauſe they do not or may not know the contrary, that they love the world moſt: but becauſe they will not know it, they are unwilling to believe it, they are loth to have any bad conceit of themſelves. So that when Jeremy ſaith, The heart is deceitfull above all things: who can know it? his meaning is, What carnall man can abide to know the worſt of himſelf? 3. It is not becauſe they know it not, but becauſe they will not heare the teſtimony of conſcience: but when it telleth them truly how the caſe is with them, they gather all the rotten and broken pieces of arguments together to ſtop the mouth of conſcience, and to perſwade themſelves to think well of themſelves. 4. Men ſeem not to know their own hearts, not becauſe they do not know what they are, but becauſe they are ignorant of Gods law whereby they ſhould judge of themſelves. They know their hearts are ſet on the world, and that the bent and frame of their affections are placed on earthly things: but they hope an under-affection to God will be accepted, to love God in the ſecond place will ſerve the turn. They know they are carnall; but they hope ſuch carnality may be in a man and yet he be right.
Yea, but a mans heart may ſay on the contrary ſide,Ob. 2. that he loveth the world more then he loveth God when he doth not: how then doth conſcience bear right witneſſe? I anſwer,
This ariſeth either from the ſtrength of corruption and weakneſſe of grace:Anſw. We look into our ſelves, and ſee our corruptions violent, and our love to God ſmall; and ſo we are deceived, not ſeeing the radicall power of this love of God, which in regard of its virtue is ſtronger then the other: As a fool, if he ſhould feel hot water, would conclude that there is no cold at all in it; whereas there is radicall cold in that water, ſuch as will expell all that heat in a little ſpace. Or elſe this ariſeth from anguiſh of ſpirit, which ſo diſturbeth the mind that it cannot ſee its own condition nor be capable of the comforts belonging unto it; as it was with the Iſraelites, Exod. 6.9. otherwiſe doubtleſſe we may know our own hearts; and when our conſcience beareth witneſſe its witneſſe is right.
Ʋſe 1,I. Uſe, of reproof to thoſe who ſtand out againſt the witneſſe of their conſcience, and like hard-hearted felons plead ſtill, Not guiltie, though never ſo much evidence come againſt them, though conſcience oft tell them, this they have done, thus they do, ſuch they are. Oh ſtop not your eares againſt conſcience; ſtand not out againſt it, but believe its teſtimony, and make uſe of it to repent of the evil it accuſeth of while mercy may be had, before God himſelf cometh and joyneth with conſcience to condemne for ever.
Ʋſe 2.II. It ſerveth for ſingular encouragement to all to abound in good works. Conſcience will bear witneſſe of them all to our unſpeakable comfort in the time of afflictions, yea at death and judgement. Job felt it a ſweet thing to have conſcience give in teſtimony of his integrity and uprightneſſe: When his friends proved miſerable comforters and God himſelf ſeemed to write bitter things againſt him, yet his conſcience witneſſed that he had been eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, he had fed the hungry and clothed the naked and comforted the fathe…leſſe. There is not a good thing that ever we do but conſcience will afford us the ſweetneſſe and comfort of it in our toubles: Remember, O Lord, ſaith Hezekiah,Iſai. 38▪ 3. that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart.
2. The judic…all bearing witneſſe of conſcience.We have ſpoken of conſciences ſingle bearing witneſſe: Now followeth its judiciall bearing witneſſe; which is when it paſſeth ſentence upon on the morall of our actions, whether they be good or evil, whether bleſſed or curſed. This is performed by a Logicall diſcourſe, by way of reaſoning on this manner, The word ſaith, Whoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie in his heart: That is the ſyntereſis. Now the aſſumption; But I have had wanton eyes and luſtfull lookings after a woman: That is the ſingle bearing witneſſe of conſcience. Therefore I have committed adultery in my heart: That is the judiciary ſentence of conſcience which it paſſeth on a mans ſelf. So again; Whoſoever crucifieth the fleſh with the affections and luſts, he is in Chriſt: But, ſaith conſcience, I crucifie the fleſh with its affections and luſts; Therefore I am in Chriſt. Though there be not the form of this diſcourſe in our conſciences, yet there is the force of it: for when conſcience doth judicially witneſſe againſt any man or for any man, it doth it by the word, and proceedeth in the way which is propounded.
The uſe of this is, Firſt for comfort to the godly,Ʋſe 1. who may hence gather the aſſurance of their ſalvation from the rule of Gods word and the witneſſe of their conſcience that they walk by this rule. The word ſaith,Matth. 5.6. He that hungreth and thirſteth after righteouſneſſe ſhall be filled;1. P…t. 1.01. He that doeth theſe things ſhall never fall, &c. Get the rule of your hearts and lives to meet and ye have what ye deſire. O what infinite mercy is this to all godly ſouls, that the Lord hath planted this conſcience in their boſomes, that they need not go farre for their comfort: their own conſciences and the rule may preach it to them.
Ʋ …e. 2.Secondly, The wicked on the other ſide, if they continue as they are, may hence gather arguments for their own damnation. If the rule and conſcience might be heard they would ſpeak bitter things againſt them, and give a fearfull ſentence on them. It may be they can ſmother their conſciences now for a time; but they will one day reade them a fearfull lecture. I ſpeak not now onelyonly of thoſe who drown their conſciences in their cups, and fear their conſciences by their groſſe ſinnes; but of thoſe who would ſeem godly and perform good duties, but with hypocriticall hearts and carnall minds. O that they would heare but conſcience argue a little in this manner; To be carnally minded is death, that is, is an evident ſigne of a man that is in the state of death and damnation, But, ſaith conſcience, I am carnally minded; or we are carnally minded: Therefore we have an argument about us of death and damnation. And ſo alſo for all other ſinnes; There is not a wicked man under heaven but he may argue out of his own miſerable eſtate by his conſcience, or he might if it were awaked, as one day it will be.
Ʋſe 3.Thirdly, this may ſerve for inſtruction. No matter what opinions men have of us in the world: The queſtion is, What is the judgement of our own conſciences upon us? It may be thou art taken for a man of great knowledge and a forward man in godlineſſe; it may be the godly dare not judge otherwiſe of thee: but the queſtion is, What is the judgement of conſcience? Doth not thy conſcience tell thee thou art but a proud fool, conceited of thy knowledge, and loveſt to heare thy ſelf talk? And ſo for thy performance of good duties, what teſtimony doth conſcience give of the manner of doing of them?2. Cor. 1.12. The teſtimoniall of conſcience is above all teſtimonials in the world: all the good opinions of the world are not worth a ruſh without this: If conſcien… can ſay that in our wayes we ſeek to pleaſe God, and allow not our ſelves in any evil vvay, this teſtimony is full and ſatisfactory, and onelyonly this.
Yet further concerning this judiciall vvitneſſe of conſcience: It is either about things to be done or omitted, or things already done or omitted. The judiciall vvitneſſe of conſcience about things to be done or omitted is double: 1. To judge out of Gods lavv vvhether it be good or evil; 2, To counſel out of our ovvn judgements either to do it or forbear it according as the nature of the action is: If it be good, conſcience vvill counſel us to do it; if bad, to forbear it. The judiciall vvitneſſe of conſcience about things already done is fourefold: 1. To approve; 2. To abſolve; 3. To miſlike; 4. To condemne. I begin vvith the firſt, the judiciall vvitneſſe of conſcience about things to be done or omitted: vvhere I ſhall conſider, firſt, the Office of conſcience in this behalf, viz. 1. To judge, 2. To counſel: and then the Adjuncts of conſcience in diſcharging this office.
1. Conſcience judgeth of the thing to be done,1. Conſcience judgeth. vvhether it be good or evil, lavvfull or unlavvfull. As vve trie the vveight of gold by a pair of balances, ſo conſcience trieth all our actions by Gods vvord. It is the oracle of God: As the Jevvs vvent to Gods oracle to enquire of the Lord, ſo our conſcience is Gods oracle to enquire of and to determine of things whether they be good or evil: It is a judge in the boſome. When the queſtion in Corinth was, whether women ſhould be uncovered when they pray, the Apoſtle ſendeth them to conſcience for judgement,1. Cor. 11.13. Judge in your ſelves, ſaith he▪ whether it be comely or no; that is. Put it to the judgement of your own conſciences. So ſay the diſciples to the Jews, Whether it be better to obey God or man, judge ye; Put it to your own conſciences. Thus ye ſee it is the office of conſcience to judge of an action to be done whether it be good or bad, lawfull or unlawfull.
2. Conſcience counſelleth.2. The ſecond office of conſcience is to counſel for the doing of that which is good and forbearing of that which is evil. This is that faithfull friend in our boſome, that voyce within us and behind us ſaying, This is the way; walk in it. Iſai 30.21.Mark the words there; ye ſee theſe two offices of conſcience. This is the way; there is the judgement of conſcience: and walk in it; there is the counſel of conſcience. Nay, conſcience doth not onelyonly give good counſel, but if it have leave it will bring arguments to perſwade to follow it: it will tell us the thing is well-pleaſing to God, of good report, that which will bring peace to our hearts. And ſo on the contrary, if it be evil, conſcience will counſell us to forbear, yea bring arguments to diſſwade; O do it not: it will tend to the diſhonour of God, and be offenſive to others▪ and wound our ſouls, &c. It was conſcience that withheld David from killing Saul,1. Sam. 24.10 and preſt him from it by a ſtrong argument, O he is the Lords Anointed. It was conſcience that withheld Joſeph from yielding to the enticings of his miſtreſſe, and yielded him an argument to diſſwade him from it, How ſhall I do this great wickedneſſe, and ſo ſinne against God? It was conſcience that diſſwaded Nehemiah from flying, Should ſuch a man as I flie? Nehem. 6.11.And if one argument will not ſerve, conſcience will uſe more.
The uſe of this may be firſt for Inſtruction.Ʋſe 1. Hence we learn that naturall men may have a conſcience urging to good and reſtraining from evil. There is no man ſo evil or ignorant but he hath naturally ſome light with him by which conſcience is ſet on work to adviſe and to counſel, and to ſay, This is very good; do it: This is very ſinfull, forbear it. This therefore is no ſigne of grace in any man to have his conſcience calling upon him to do good or diſſwading him from evil: The very heathen had ſo according to their light; yea and in many of them it was forcible to reſtrain them from many ſinnes which they were inclined unto. And ſo may many men be put upon many good duties, not for any love or liking of that which is good, but becauſe they would pleaſe and ſatisfie conſcience, which otherwiſe will not ſuffer them to be quiet. It was conſcience that kept Abimelech from defiling Sarah, and yet a carnall man.
Here then a queſtion may be asked,Object. Whether a mere naturall man can avoid ſinne for conſcience ſake.
I anſwer, That this expreſſion,Anſw. for conſcience ſake, may be taken two wayes: either 1. for conſcience of the commandment of God and love to it; and ſo none but Gods children do obey for conſcience ſake: and ſo it is meant when Paul ſpeaketh of being ſubject for conſcience ſake, Rom. 13.5. 1. P…t. 2.19.and Peter ſpeaketh of ſuffering wrong for conſcience ſake. Or ſecondly, for conſcience ſake, that is, when conſcience it ſelf inforced by ſcar compelleth one to do a thing or not to do it: As we ſay, My conſcience will not ſuffer me. Thus carnall men come to church for conſcience ſake, and pray for conſcience ſake, &c. that is, Their conſcience driveth them to theſe duties, and will not be quiet without they perform them.
Ʋſe 2.Secondly, Sith a mere naturall man may have a conſcience ſtirring him up to good as well as the truly godly, it will not be amiſſe to give you the difference. The difference is in three things;
1. A godly mans conſcience ſiniteth him and ſtirreth him very kindly, ſo that he melteth before God. When David had numbred the people, the text ſaith,1 Sam. 24.10. his heart ſmote him. The word ſignifieth, it ſmote him kindly, gave him a loving blow, made him ſpread forth himſelf before God. A wicked mans conſcience giveth him a dead blow, a churliſh and ſullen blow.
2. A godly mans conſcience ſtirreth him reciprocally: He ſtirreth up his conſcience, and his conſcience ſtirreth up him; he ſpeaketh to his conſcience, and his conſcience ſpeaketh to him: The ſtirring is reciprocall.Pſal. 4.4. Commune with your hearts. What haſt thou done, O my ſoul? Thus and thus have I done, ſaith the ſoul. Whereas a wicked mans conſcience ſpeaketh to him, but he cannot endure to ſpeak to his conſcience: his conſcience ſtirreth him, but he hath no will to ſtirre his conſcience; nay, he doth all he can to keep it quiet: But the godly as his conſcience ſmiteth him ſo he ſmiteth upon his conſcience: I ſmote upon my thigh, ſaith Ephraim.Jer. 31.19. The godly, when conſcience ſtirreth them, they ſtirre it and provoke it to ſpeak out all it hath to ſay. Commune with your own heart, and be ſtill: They are ſtill to give it full audience, and call upon it to ſpeak on; What hast thou more to ſay, Conſcience?
3. A godly mans conſcience ſtirreth him to good; and he is reſolved to go to the utmoſt of what conſcience ſtirreth him unto: that with Job,Job. 27.6. his conſcience may not reproch him all his dayes for not following it: Whereas it is otherwiſe with the wicked.
3. The third uſe is this;Ʋſe 3. Seeing conſcience is appointed by God to be our guide and our counſellour, it ſhould be our practice in every thing we do to ask counſel of conſcience whether we were beſt do it or no. I ſay that conſcience is Gods oracle: Whatſoever we are to do we ſhould (as David) enquire of Gods oracle,1. Sam. 23.2. May I go this way to work, or ſhall I take an other courſe? Heare counſel and receive inſtruction, ſaith Salomon,Prov. 19.20. that thou mayſt be wiſe at thy latter end. Conſcience is a faithfull counſellour; heare it. It is the great merciemercy of God that thou haſt ſuch a privie counſel: Thou canſt go no where but it is about thee to adviſe thee. Therefore as Rehoboam ſaid to his green heads, What counſel give you? ſo ſay thou to thy conſcience, What adviſe giveſt thou, Conſcience, in this caſe? my carnall friends counſel me thus and thus; mine own carnall heart and luſts would have me go this way: but, Conſcience, what counſel giveſt thou?
Ʋſe 4.4. The fourth uſe is to reprove the cuſtome of moſt men, who with Ahab refuſe the counſel of that one true wholeſome prophet, and have foure hundred other counſellours who will give counſel as they would have it: They regard not this good Michaiah; they ſlight the counſel of conſcience; their luſts and their carnall reaſon and fleſh and bloud are their counſellours; The counſel of conſcience, they ſay, is not good at this time, as he ſaid of Achitophels: They will heare conſcience at another time, but not now. But take heed; for if you reject the counſel of conſcience, it is becauſe the Lord hath a purpoſe to deſtroy you.