The Souls Looking Glass, Treatise · Part 2
The office of conſcience about things already done or omitted.
THis hath foure parts: 1. To approve; 2. To abſolve; 3. To miſlike; 4. To condemne, according to the good or evil of our actions or omiſſions. The judgement is not onelyonly of the things, what they are; but whither they tend, and what they will produce.
I. An approving conſcience.
FIrſt, when that vvhichwhich is done is good, conſcience approveth it: as Paul ſaith, This is our rejoycing, the teſtimony of our conſcience, 2. Cor. 1.12. When he had lived uprightly and ſincerely, his conſcience approved of it: ſo when he had great ſorrow and heavineſſe for his brethren, his conſcience approved it;Rom. 9.1. my conſcience bearing me witneſſe, ſaith he. So at his latter end we may ſee how his conſcience approved the vvhole courſe of his life:2. Tim. 4.7, 8, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith, &c. there is conſciences approbation of him: from henceforth, ſaith he, is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſſe: there is conſciences judgement concerning the iſſue of it. Conſcience ſo approveth every particular good action done by a faithfull man, that by it he may gather a teſtimony of the uprightneſſe of his heart: as Hezekiah; Remember, Lord, that I have walked uprightly before thee. 1. Jo…n 3.14.Hereby we know that we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren. Mark; Love to Gods children is a ſufficient teſtimony not onelyonly of our uprightneſſe in that particular act, but alſo of the ſimplicity of our hearts in the generall, and that vve are tranſlated from death to life. So when good old Simeon had now even finiſhed his dayes, ſee what an approbation his conſcience gave of him; Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace according to thy word. Luke 2.29.His conſcience here gave a threefold bleſſed approbation of him. 1. That he had been Gods faithfull ſervant; thy ſervant. 2. That he had walked in the wayes of true peace and comfort; depart in peace. 3. That the promiſe of Gods word was his in particular; according to thy word.
II. An abſolving conſcience.
THe ſecond part of the office of conſcience is to abſolve and acquit. Thus Samuel pleading his innocency, had his conſcience teſtifying for him,1. Sam. 12.3. Whoſe ox have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? and his conſcience abſolved him as clear and free from thoſe ſinnes. Thus alſo Job; If I have lifted up my hand againſt the fatherleſſe, when I ſaw my help in the gate; If I rejoyced becauſe my wealth is great; If I have not given my bread to the hungry; or if I have rejoyced at the miſery of mine enemie: then let it be thus and thus to me. His conſcience abſolved him as clear of thoſe ſinnes. Nay, the conſcience of a child of God doth not onelyonly abſolve him from the guilt of thoſe ſinnes which he never committed, but alſo from the guilt of thoſe ſinnes which he hath committed againſt God or againſt man. It can tell him he hath truly repented, and truly been humbled, and truly got pardon. Ye know David had committed divers ſinnes: yet when he had humbled his ſoul before God, and obtained pardon, his conſcience telleth him as much and abſolveth him, Pſal. 103.3. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoul, &c. who forgiveth all thy ſinnes. Nay, though a child of God have many infirmities dayly and hourly, yet his conſcience doth abſolve him: It is no more I that do it, ſaith his conſcience, but ſinne that dwelleth in me. If I distruſt, it is no more I; for I fight against it: If I be overtaken by any weakneſſe, it is no more I; for I laboured againſt it, and do bewail it.
III. A miſliking conſcience.
THe third part of conſciences office in things done is to miſlike if we have done ill. There be imperfections in the beſt obedience of Gods deareſt ſervants: What I do I allow not, Rom. 7.15.ſaith Paul: His conſcience miſliked ſomething done by him. But that miſlike of conſcience which now I ſpeak of is of things that are ill done, that is, not done in truth and ſincerity. Thus it is in all that are not renewed by the holy Ghoſt: The office of their conſcience indeed is to miſlike what they do: When they have prayed, their conſcience can miſlike it, and ſay, I have not prayed with a heavenly mind, a holy heart: When they have been at a Sacrament, conſcience can truly miſlike it, and ſay, I have not been a fit gueſt at Christs table, &c. When they are croſſed and tempted, their conſciences truly miſlike their carriage, and ſay, I do not fight and reſiſt, but readily and willingly yield to every invitation to evil. Do ye not think that Jeroboams conſcience miſliked his altering Gods worſhip, his innovating religion, his making Iſrael to ſinne? do not ye think his conſcience miſliked him for theſe things? Do not ye think that Nabals conſcience miſliked his griping? and Doegs conſcience miſliked his ſlandering? and Paſhurs conſcience miſliked his oppoſing and miſuſing Jeremie? and the old prophets conſcience miſliked his lying? Who would have thought but Balaam ſaid well, Whatſoever the Lord ſaith unto me that will I ſpeak, and, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do leſſe or more; no, not for Balaks houſe full of gold; who vvould have thought but that this was well ſaid? yet his own conſcience could not chooſe but miſlike it, being not ſpoken in ſinceritie. Many a man hath gone for a Chriſtian twentie or thirtie years, and every one liketh him; and yet it may be his conſcience hath diſliked him all the while.
IV. A condemning conſcience.
THe fourth part of conſciences office in this behalf is to condemne if we have done evil and contrarie to Gods law. Conſcience hath an office not onelyonly to miſlike us but alſo to condemne us: nay, it will haſten more to condemne us then God.Gen 3.7. We ſee it in Adam: When Adam had ſinned his conſcience condemned him before God did: he knew he was naked, that he had made his ſoul ſhamefully naked; his conſcience condemned him for an apoſtate before the Lord came to paſſe ſentence upon him. Nay, it condemneth us oftner then God; God will condemne a ſinner but once for all, viz. at the laſt day; but conſcience condemneth him many thouſand times before that. Many men and women who do ſeem godly in the worlds eyes. God knoweth how many of them have condemning conſciences in their boſomes, for all their civilities, and formalities, and crying God merciemercy, and patched up hopes; many who would ſay that man were uncharitable who ſhould condemne them for ſuch and ſuch, who (it may be) find conſcience within ſo uncharitable, and ſaying plainly, Ye are ſo; like the conſcience of Pauls heretick, who is ſaid to be condemned of himſelf.Tit. 3.11.
I.Uſe 1. This ſerveth for the praiſe of the juſtice of God: That he may be juſt when he judgeth, the Lord needeth no other witneſſe againſt us but our own conſciences: they make way for the juſt judgement of God. Ye may ſee this in this portion of Scripture which we have in hand;Rom. 2.15. wherein is ſhewed both that God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world, verſ. 16. In the day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of all men according to my Goſpel: and then in the verſe going before the Apoſtle ſheweth that now in the mean while every mans conſcience maketh way for this juſt judgement of God; their conſcience bearing witneſſe, and their thoughts in the mean time accuſing or excuſing one another. At the laſt day every man ſhall be judged according to his conſcience; a child of God according to his; a carnall man according to his. The Lord ſhall abſolve all his children, and their own conſciences ſhall abſolve them. The Lord ſhall condemne all the reſt, and their own conſciences ſhall condemne them. This is the book that every mans life is ſet down in: Every paſſage of converſation both of the godly and the wicked is recorded dayly in this book: And according to what is written therein will the Lord judge every ſoul at the laſt day, as Rev. 20.12. The dead were judged out of thoſe things which were written in the book according to their works. The Apoſtle there ſpeaketh prophetically, and putteth the paſt time for the future; they were judged, that is, they ſhall be judged. So that ye ſee that by the judgement of conſcience way is made for the juſt judgement of God.
Ʋſe 2.II. This ſhould be a means to keep us from ſinne, and to keep us in a holy life: for according to our works ſo will be the evidences of our conſciences, whether they be good or evil. We had need to take heed what we write in our conſciences; for according to what is written there ſo ſhall we be judged. Therefore if any ſinne ſtandeth upon record in our conſciences, we had need get it blotted out by the bloud of Chriſt. Repent, be humbled, beg for pardon, reſt not till thou ſeeſt this debt-book conſcience croſſed, and thy ſinnes ſtand there cancelled and diſcharged.
THus I have ſhewed you the offices of conſcience about things heretofore done. Now let me ſhew you the affections of conſcience in the diſcharge of theſe offices. Ye have heard that conſcience hath foure offices in things heretofore done; 1. an office to approve; 2. an office to abſolve; 3. an office to diſlike; 4. an office to condemne; The two former when we have done well and lived well; then the office of conſcience is to approve and abſolve: The two latter when we have done ill and lived ill; then the office of conſcience is to miſlike and to condemne. Now followeth the affections of conſcience in the diſcharge of theſe offices; and they are foure: 1. A tender conſcience; 2. A ſleepie conſcience; 3. A benumbed conſcience; 4. A ſeared conſcience.
Firſt, a tender conſcience; that is,1. A tender conſcience. a conſcience touched with the leaſt ſinne, and checking us for the leaſt ſinne; as for vain thoughts, exorbitant paſſions, idle words, and the like.1. Sam. 24.5… Such was Davids conſcience, which ſmote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment. Such was Zaccheus his conſcience, which troubled him for ſuppoſed ſinnes: If I have wronged any man, ſaith he. He did not know; but his conſcience was ſo tender that it made him carefull of Ifs. This tender conſcience is a ſingular bleſſing of God: And if we deſire to attain unto it we muſt labour to ſee the odiouſneſſe of ſinne, yea the malignity and exceeding evil there is in the leaſt ſinne: this will make us tender of it. Secondly, we muſt labour to mourn for every ſinne though it ſeem little: this alſo will keep our conſciences tender. And we have great cauſe to prize a tender conſcience. What got the Bethſhemites by not being tender in conſcience? They looked into the Ark, and becauſe they durſt venture upon it the Lord ſmote fifty thouſand of them at once.1. Sam. 6.19. Numb. 15.32, 36. What got the man that gathered ſticks on the Sabbath for not being tender in conſcience? He was ſtoned to death. Conſcience ſhould tender the leaſt commandment of God, and ſo be tender of the committing the leaſt ſinne. This conſcience is a great bleſſing.
The ſecond affection of conſcience is ſleepineſſe.2. A ſleepy conſcience. A ſleepy conſcience is not ſo quick in ſmiting us as it ought: either it checks not, or elſe with ſuch faintneſſe that it worketh not upon us; it maketh us never the more watchfull againſt ſinne. This we ſee by many who can commit ſuch ſinnes without trouble or diſquiet as would bring others on their knees and make them walk heavily long after. This ſleepy conſcience is very dangerous: it maketh men as ready to fall into the ſame ſinnes to morrow as to day, and next day as to morrow: it letteth them ſee their faults, but amendeth none; becauſe this is ſuch a conſcience as doth not cauſe men to feel the burden of their ſinnes. A man can never come to Chriſt as long as he hath a ſleepy conſcience; becauſe it doth not cauſe ſinne to be burdenſome. They who have this conſcience can ſleep for all it, and eat and drink and be merry for all it: Now a man can never come to Chriſt that is not burdened with his ſinne, that he cannot bear it, cannot be quiet for it, cannot ſleep for it:Matth. 11.28. then Chriſt calleth him, Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will eaſe you.
3. A benumbed conſcience.A benumbed conſcience; that is, ſuch a conſcience as is in a deep ſleep. This differs from the former in degree. You know there is a leſſe ſleep, and there is a greater ſleep: There is a leſſe ſleep, when onelyonly the outward ſenſes are bound; and there is a ſleep when the inward ſenſes are bound too. Now a benumbed conſcience is a conſcience that is in a deep ſleep; Preach to it, it mourneth not; cry to it, it liſteneth not: This is a benumbed conſcience. Nor the greatneſſe of ſinne, nor the wrath of God denounced againſt it can move it. Men can know themſelves guilty of ſuch and ſuch ſinnes, and yet not lay them to heart: conſcience never telleth them about it. Thus the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of thoſe who knew the judgement of God, Rom. 1.32.that they which commit ſuch things are worthy of death, yet not onelyonly do the ſame, but have pleaſure in them that do them: Their conſciences though informed, and in ſome meaſure knowing the evil of their courſes and the ſeveritie of Gods judgement, yet let them go on ſtill, and not onelyonly commit the evil themſelves, but delight to ſee others as bad as themſelves. Such are our ſwearers, and drunkards, and company-keepers, &c. This is a very wretched conſcience: the Lord deliver us from it.
Fourthly, a ſeared conſcience▪ that is,4. A ſeared conſcience. ſuch a conſcience as ſpeaketh not a jote; ſeared with a hot iron, as the Apoſtles phraſe is, 1. Tim. 4.2. a ſenſeleſſe conſcience, a paſt-feeling conſcience: when men can ſwallow down ſinne like drink, oathes, contempt of God, his word and worſhip, mockage of Gods ſervants, hating to be reformed; ſuch as ſinne without any remorſe. This kind of conſcience is in foure ſorts of men: 1. In diſſolute and profligate perſons; who like common ſtrumpets have their ſouls lie open to every ſinne that cometh by. 2. In obſtinate ſinners, ſuch as, like Ahab, have ſold themſelves to work wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord. 3. In ſcoffers and jeerers; who ſpeak evil of them who runne not in the ſame exceſſe of riot with themſelves, and nickname the godly. 4. In Apoſtates and backſliders; who ſpeak lies through hypocriſie, and have fallen from the profeſſion of the truth: All theſe men have a conſcience ſeared with a red-hot iron. This is a great judgement of God: greater then this there cannot be: No outward judgement that can fall upon us is like unto it: not the plague, nor ſhame, nor beggery, no nor any curſe beſides hell it ſelf is equall to it. By this the onelyonly means under God of repentance is taken away. Such may come to repent; but it is a thouſand to one if ever they do. It is like a graveſtone lying upon their conſciences, which keepeth them under untill the day of judgement: at which time God will awaken their conſciences, and then they will be more furious in tormenting then the very devils themſelves.
Uſe.Ye that are not yet fallen upon this wretched conſcience, I beſeech you take heed that ye never do. But ye will ask me, How may we avoid it? Avoid it? alas, ye may avoid it if ye be carefull: for conſcience never ſeareth it ſelf: If ever it be ſeared, it is ye your ſelves that do fear it. Indeed the mind of man may blind its own ſelf; and the heart of man may corrupt its own ſelf; and the affections of man may defile their own ſelves: but conſcience never corrupteth it ſelf, never ſeareth it ſelf. But you will ſay, What muſt I do to avoid this ſearing of conſcience?
Firſt, liſten to conſcience well, that whatever it ſaith to thee from God thou maiſt do it. This was the courſe of the Pſalmiſt; I will hearken what the Lord God will ſay in me (ſo ſome tranſlate it.) Heare then and liſten what the Lord God will ſay in thee, what thy conſcience illightened ſaith in thee, and do it.
Secondly, whenever this conſcience is quick follow it. Nothing more ſeareth conſcience then ſuffering quicknings to die. Blow the coles if they do but ſmoke. As the Apoſtle ſaith, Quench not the Spirit; ſo quench not conſcience.
I have hitherto ſhewed you that every man hath a conſcience, and the reaſons why God hath given us a conſcience, the light that it acteth by, the offices of it, and the affections of it. Now from all theſe proceed two other adjuncts of conſcience: 1. A quiet conſcience; 2. An unquiet conſcience.