Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 16 – Chapter 17
CHAP. XVI. Of the Sanctification of the Conscience.
COnscience is taken 1. More strictly and properly when it is joined with otherConscience is the faculty or power of the practical understanding in man, whereby he is privy to all his actions, whether they be immanent and conceived within, as thoughts, or emanant and issuing …orth, as his words and works. M. Down Subject. to higher powers. Conscientia est cordis scientia. Bern. Scientia cum alio. Aquinas. Cum …lia s…it ammus scientia dicitur, cum seipsum conscientia faculties of the soul, as Titus 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 5. In the first it is differenced from the minde, in the later from the will.
2. More largely, when 'tis put alone, and so it stands for the whole heart, soul and spirit, working inwardly upon it self by way of reflex. So Acts 24. 16.
It is a distinct faculty, the Apostle seemeth to make it so, when he saith of unbelievers, That their mindes and their consciences are defiled, and because it hath the name of the whole heart given unto it, 1 Sam. 24. 5. 1 Iohn 3. 10. and because in the working of it, it hath a certain general and universal command over all the other faculties. Its proper work is to dispose a man aright to Gods word, and to set a work all the rest of his powers for that purpose.
Conscience is an ability in a man to judge of his estate and actions according to a rule prescribed by God; it is no further therefore Liberty of Conscience (but licentiousnesse) then it is regulated by the Word, for the Conscience is Regula regulata.
Est liber animae ad quem emendandum scripti sunt omnes libri. Bern. What Conscience is it is hard to finde, as in mens dealings the use of it, some making it a distinct faculty from the understanding, some an habit, some an act; it is the understanding reflecting upon its self in its acts in regard of the goodnesse or badness of them. Or, the judgement that a man gives of himself in reference to the judgement of God. There is a kinde of syllogism, He that believes in Christ shall be saved: But I believe in Christ. He that loves the Brethren is passed from death to life: But I love the Brethren.
Converting Grace reneweth a mans conscience:Jer. 8. 12. Ephes 4. 19.
1. Whereas it is naturally cauterized, 1 Tim. 4. 2. it puts feeling and apprehension into us, this is the first work of Grace converting upon the soul when it begins to be tender, Act. 24. 16. and is not able to endure those heavy burdens of sinne, which before; though mountains, it never felt, is also now active that was silent, Dan. 9. 8. Ezra 9. 6.
2. Whereas naturally it is self-flattering, it will accuse when it ought, naturallyConscience is the greatest comforter or terror, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Rom. 8. 1. if we suffer it to be our councellor and commander, it will be our comforter. A good conscience is 1. An enlightned conscience Prov. 19. 2. 1. An awakened conscience, 2 Tim. 2. ult. I sleep but my heart wakes. 3. A working active conscience, Act. 24. 16. it stirreth in a false way, promising heaven and salvation when there is no such matter, Deut. 29. 19. Davids heart soon smote him, and Psal. 51. he acknowledged his sinne and bewailed it; and again, I and my house have sinned. Conscience speaketh the truth, Thus often thou hast prophaned the Sabbath, abused thy self, and that in all the aggravations, this makes the godly lie so low in their humiliation.
3. The erroneousnesse of it is taken away, the mischief of an erroneous conscience is seen in Popery and other heresies, how they make conscience of worshipping that which is an Idol, if they should eat meat on a fasting-day, not odore the Sacrament, how much would their hearts be wounded; this erroneous conscience brought in all the superstition in the world, but the godly obtain a sound judgment, conscience is to be a guide.
4. The partial working of it about some works but not others, is taken away, as Herod. Psal. 50. those that abhorred Idols did yet commit sacriledge; they neglect the duties of one of the tables, as the civil mans conscience is very defective, he will not be drunk, unjust, yet regards not his duty to God, is ignorant, seldome prayeth in his Family, the hypocritical Jews and Pharisees would have Sacrifice but not Mercy.
Secondly, Inward motions and thoughts of sinne as well as outward acts, his conscience now deeply smites and humbleth him for those things which only God knoweth, and which no civil or worldly man ever taketh notice of: So Paul Rom. 7. How tender is Pauls conscience! Every motion of sin is a greater trouble and burden to him, then any grosse sinne to the worldling. Hezekiah humbleth himself for his pride of heart. Matth. 5. the Word condemneth all those inward lusts and sins which are in the fountain of the heart, though they never empty themselves into the actions of men, the conscience of a godly man condemneth as farre as the Word, it is not thus with the natural mans conscience, nor with the refined Moralist, he condemneth not himself in secret, he takes not notice of such proud earthly motions, they are not a pressure to him.
Thirdly, In doing of duties to take notice of all the imperfections and defects of them, as well as the total omission of them, his unbelief, lazinesse, rovings in the duty. I beleeve, Lord, help my unbelief: All our righteousnesse is a menstr…ous ragge. A godly man riseth from his duties bewailing himself.
Fourthly, To witnesse the good things of God in us as well as the evil that is of our selves, it is broken and humbled for sinne, yet this very mourning is from God.
Fifthly, About sins of omission as well as commission, whereas the wicked if they be drunk, steal, have no rest in their consciences, but if they omit Christian duties they are not troubled, Mat. 25. 36.
Sixthly, In the extremity of it, being rectified from one extream, fals into another, from the neglect of the Sacrament they fall to adoring of it; this is rectified by grace, it will so encline him to repent as that he shall be disposed to believe, so to be humble as that he shall be couragious.
Seventhly, Converting grace also removes,
1. The slavishnesse and security of conscience, and puts in us a spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8. All the men in the world could not perswade Cain but that his sins were greater then could be pardoned.
2. That natural pronenesse to finde something in our selves for comfort, men think if they be not their own saviours they cannot be saved at all, Phil. 3. I desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified, and count all things dung for his righteousnesse.
3. The unsubduednesse and contumacy in it to the Scripture. Conscience is wonderfully repugnant to the precepts and holinesse of Gods Law, in the troubles of it contradicts the Scripture way of Justification.
CHAP. XVII. Sanctification of the Memory.
MEmory is a faculty of the minde whereby it preserves the species of whatSee Hackwels Apol l. 3. c. 6. Sect. 1. p. 211, 212. it once knew, 1 Chron. 16. 15.
Memory is the great keeper or master of the rols of the soul, …rari…m animae, the souls Exchequer.
Sense and understanding is of things present, hope of things to come, Memoria rerum praeteritarum, memory of things past.
It is one part of the sanctity of the memory, when it can stedfastly retain and seasonably recal the works of the living God.
A sanctified memory consists in three things:
First, In laying up good things concerning God, Christ, Gods word, his Works, experiments. Mary laid up these things in her heart.
Secondly, For a good end, sinne to be sorry and ashamed of it, Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sinne against thee; Remember the Sabbath to sanctifie it.
Thirdly, In seasonably recalling them, thy personal sins on a day of humiliation,Lam. 3. 19, 20. John 14. 26. There is a double act of a good memory, saith the Philosopher, 1. Ut fideliter conservet. 2. Ut promptè reddat. Gods mercies on a day of thanksgiving, good instructions where there is occasion to practise them.
A sanctified memory is a practical memory, as the Lord sayes, Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. Psal. 109. 16. A Countrey-woman after the hearing of a Sermon, met as she was going home, with the Minister, he asked her, where she had been, she told him at a good Sermon, he asked her the Ministers name and Text: she answered, she knew not him nor remembred the Text, her memory was so bad, but she would go home and mend her life. Another complained that for the expressions, and other things delivered in a Sermon he could remember but little, but he had learned by it to hate sin, and love Christ more.