Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 3 · Verse 16
Verse 16. Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ.
TO our constancy in the confession of our faith, we must have a good conscience, not so onelyonly as it may be known to our selves, but we must so walk, that others, even our adversaries may perceive the same, that thereupon changing their mindes, and being ashamed that they have spoken so evil of us, they may cease to blame such as walk in so good a conversation, as becometh the Servants of Christ: Before I come to handle the points particularly laid down herein, I will shew, 1. What conscience is. 2. The offices thereof. 3. Resolve some questions about it: and 4. Treat of the kindes thereof.
For the 1. Conscience is a faculty or power,What Conscience is. placed by God in the soul of a man, which determineth of his thoughts, desires, words and deeds, either with him or against him in the sight of God: I say, Its a faculty or power, not a bare act, for many actions are ascribed thereto, as to accuse, excuse, comfort, terrifie, &c. Placed by God; for God being the creator of the soul, he must accordingly be the creator of all the faculties of it: In the soul, called also the heart, and the Spirit of a man: Herein there be diverse faculties, as the understanding (whereby we conceive what is true and what is false, what is good and what is evil) the will (whereby we will or nill, choose or refuse any thing, whereto are joyned the affections, joy, grief, love, hope, fear, &c.) and the memory, whereby we hold fast things conceived, or else call to minde, and remember things past: So also is conscience another faculty thereof, whereby the soul reflects upon it self, whereby I know that I do know such a thing, that I think this or that, that I affect or desire, love or hate this or that; for its one thing to know a thing, think a thing, remember a thing, &c. and another to know that I know it, think it, remember it: Now in which part of the soul it hath its place, as whether in the understanding or will, or in every part of the soul, I will not stand; its enough for us to know that there is such a faculty in mans soul. True it is, it not only gives witness of all the faculties, & tels what I think, desire, affect, &c. but it useth and worketh upon all the faculties as the understanding; for by it, it directs, and according to it, it doth accuse, so as if the judgement be well informed, the conscience will give right witness, if ignorant or ill informed, then it gives wrong testimony: So the memory, accusing or excusing for things past; so it worketh upon the will, by provoking it to choose or refuse this or that; so it worketh upon the affections, raising up in us comfort and joy upon well doing, fear and grief upon ill-doing: Now though it have to do with all, yet it may have its proper place in the understanding and minde, according to the judgement of most Divines: Of a man, for no Creature on earth hath Conscience, but man. True, the Angels are not without it, the good having a good, comfortable, excusing, joyful Conscience; the evil, a woful, ill, accusing, and tormenting Conscience, which is so much the worse, for that they know so much, and be so maliciously bent against it, so that even when they be not in the place of torment, but have leave to range the world, yet they carry Hell with them, even a tormenting Conscience, whereof their trembling (according to Saint James) is an evident testimony:Iames 2. 19. But no other Creature hath it, for having no Reason, they have no Conscience; therefore we say in our speech of a bad and unconscionable man, he hath no more Conscience then a Dog, or as much Conscience as an Horse, whereby we mean none at all, for these Creatures have none: Man then hath a Conscience, yea every man, yet as the use of Reason may be lost, by folly, phrensie, &c. so the use of Conscience in such: So by notorious wickedness, a man may lose the use of his Conscience for a time, whereupon we say of such a one, he hath no Conscience: yes, every man hath a Conscience, though as the use of Reason is taken from one deeply drunk; so custom of sinning hath taken away use of Conscience, so that it doth not admonish him before he do ill, nor check and accuse him after, or hath such an erronious judgement, thinking good evil, and evil good, that he hath also an erronious Conscience: But this benummed or beguiled Conscience will be awakened at one time or other, in life or death, or at the day of Judgement;Rom 2. 15. for no mans Conscience dyes, but lives, and shall meet him at the last day: and though his sins be now as words written with the juyce of Lemmons, nothing to be seen, yet when their Conscience comes to the fire of Gods Judgements, then every little dash, idle words, vain thoughts, &c. will be perceived: Though men choak and smother Conscience, though they strangle it, or so drown it in their cups, yet it will and doth abide still; what made Joseph's Brethren troubled in Egypt, but Conscience, which told them of the sin committed by them twenty years before? So Conscience told Pharaoh that he and his people were wicked, which determined of his thoughts, desires, words, and deeds, or more briefly, beareth witness either with us or against us in the sight of God: It meddles not with other folks actions, for that is science or knowledge, but with our own, and that is Conscience: Conscience, that is knowledge with another, that is, either another knowledge, when I knowing any thing, do know that I know it, and so know my self and what is in me, or another person that knows with me what I know, and that as well as I, or rather far better, namely, God, who made the Conscience, and will judge it, and is privy to all that is in it; for so is no other, neither man nor Angel,Acts 24. 16. and accordingly the Apostles Paul and John joyn both together: Great is the force hereof:1 Iohn 3. 20. as both being within us, and so more able either to comfort or terrifie us then any other thing (as the wind that gets within the earth, shakes it most terribly) and likewise so inseparable, that a man cannot get from it.
1. This sheweth plainly that there is a God,Use 1. who hath set Conscience on work thus to admonish, warn, comfort, accuse, terrifie, &c. Having done evil, why should a mans Conscience accuse or terrifie him, but that God hath ordained it should so do? and accordingly it doth cite him before God, and judge him before hand; for not man or Angel can take the accusation of Conscience, it bears record in the sight of God: Why have the most unbridled despisers of God, when any token of Gods wrath hath appeared, run into holes and cellars under the ground; yea, and such wicked monsters after some foul offence, though so secretly done as that they needed not to have been afraid of men, yet been so much vexed and disquieted, but that their Consciences informed them of God against whom they did sin? and that his wisdom and knowledge did far surpass that of men or Angels, as knowing not onelyonly what is done and spoken in the world, but what is in every mans heart.
2. This confuteth those which affirm,Use 2. That we cannot be assured of our Salvation, and why? because we cannot know whether we believe or not, &c. But as we may know a Tree by the fruits, so may we our Faith:Iames 2. God gives us not grace, that we should not know whether we have it or not:1 Iohn 2. 3. wherefore serves Conscience but to witness what is in us?1 Cor. 2. 12. Thus what Conscience is.
For the second,The Offices of Conscience. The Offices of Conscience, they are to bear witness, and to give judgement.
First,To bear witness. I say, To bear witness, and that 1. Of our thoughts, whether they have been proud, distrustful, unclean, wandering at the hearing of the Word, or in Prayer, worldly on the Lords day, &c. for the understanding hath two faculties, one whereby it conceives or thinks this or that; the other, whereby it doubles upon it self, and knows that it did think it: The minde thinks a thought, the Conscience goes beyond the minde, and knows what the minde thinks; so that if a man would hide his thoughts from God, his Conscience can bear witness of them:Ier. 17. 10. Thus it discovers the very bent and sway of our hearts.1 Cor. 2. 11. 2. Of our will and affections, whether the same be set on good, or that which is evil.Rom. 9. 3. 3. Of our speeches, whether they be agreeable to Gods Word or not. 4. Of our actions, though never so secret: Thus Davids Conscience told him that he had sinned in numbring the people,1 Sam. 24. 10. and 24. 15. but that he had not conspired against Saul, Psal. 7. 4, 5.howsoever he was by him persecuted;Iob 42. 3. & 31. 5, 7, &c. so Jobs Conscience witnessed against him, that he had spoken somewhat impatiently, but for him, that he had not eat his morsels alone, &c.
1. This setteth out the great mercy of God to man,Use 1. God hath not here left us alone, but besides his Word and Ministers, every man hath a keeper still going along with him (who is to pry into our actions, and to bear witness of them all, and when we have done amiss, to tell us secretly thereof, that so we may ask pardon and amend, and may not complain that we had none to tell us of our faults, &c.) and that is our conscience: Hereby such as belong unto God are stirred up to have recourse unto God for mercy, and thereupon are pardoned; after their conversion, they are also hereby kept from many evils, and through the checks of Conscience we are driven to repentance: Happy are they that have tender Consciences, and turn not the deaf ear thereto: Doth our conscience tell us of any thing amiss? if we do thereupon amend, we make good use thereof; but if we do not, whereas it now speaks softly between it and us in our ear, it will roar out one day, when it will be heard, whether we will or not, namely, Both at the hour of our death, and on the day of Judgement. Most men count their conscience a common Barretor, one that troubles them (as Ahab said Elias did Israel) therefore is it just with God to give them benumb'd consciences, that they go snorting to Hell.
2. It setteth out the Equity and Justice of God,Use 2. that condemns no man till he hath given him both a law to guide him, and a conscience to admonish him,Psal. 51. 4. yea, to accuse and condemn him: When God judgeth, every mans conscience shall justifie God for so doing; when God shall awake the conscience, then it will speak true, give a righteous verdict, and condemn the civilest for want of Faith in Christ, and not performance of the duties of the first Table.
3. It teacheth us to beware we sin not,Use 3. whether in thought, word or deed, either out of hope that none shall know it, or that we shall scape for lack of witnesses, or that we may alledge that we knew not that so and so to do were sins: Thus we should but deceive our selves, for there be witnesses enough, thine own conscience is as a thousand, and God as ten thousand: Lets do no other thing but that whereof we would hear again, for conscience will bear witness; do not we bless our selves for our sins done in secret, as if none saw them, or could witness any thing against us: The bird in the breast knows, and God knows; hang down thine head then, and ask mercy of God, and confess thy self to him; if not, even thine own conscience may break it out in this world, as Judas's in accusing himself, whereas he was not taxed by others, and many have confessed Murther, Adultery, Theft, &c. some with repentance, others in hellish horror: Do not any thing in hope of secrecy, unless you can keep God and your consciences from being present, neither be we careful for eyewitnesses of our well doing in the performance of duties: Its enough if our conscience tells us we have done well; yea, if we be taxed for Hypocrites,See Acts 23. 1. or otherwise be slandered, its sufficient that God and our own conscience can bear witness of our sincerity and uprightness;2 Cor. 1. 12. its more then if every one should speak well of us,Heb. 13. 18. excepting our own conscience: Thus was Job, thus Hezekiah comforted.Isa. 38. 3.
2. To give judgement, and that whether things be good or bad,To give judgement before our actions. whether they be well done or ill done, and this judgement is given either before our actions, or after them; before, Conscience gives judgement thus, it tells us what is good, and what bad, and not so barely, but with some furtherance, This is good, therefore do it; This is ill, therefore do it not; so Pilate knowing Christ to be innocent, his conscience moved him to seek to loose him; so Reuben when his brethren would have killed Joseph, apprehending that to be ill, and that from his conscience, he disswaded them therefrom; so Davids conscience told him that he should do ill to kill Saul, and thereupon would not give ear to those that perswaded him hereto: Thus being tempted to Lye,See Isa. 30. 21. Deceive, Swear, Prophane the Lords day, &c. the conscience tells us that its evil so to do;Psal. 16. 7. Again, being called upon to any good duty, the conscience tells us its good, and provokes us to do it.
Why,Obj. then Conscience is a Puritan if it do thus, is not this corrupted as well as the other faculties?
O yes,Sol. therefore it gives judgement very weakly and imperfectly in all, but especially in the unregenerate, and especially in the most ignorant and most wicked, yet it retains some part of her office and power, and will be doing as its enlightened, and therefore it will give this judgement in foul and gross things in the worst of all, as when they go to commit Murther, Adultery, &c. or tell them on the other side, they should go to Church, &c. but in the regenerate it doth much good work, its as a guide to conduct us in our way, and whereby we shun all by paths; Its a bridle to keep us from sin, and a spur to goodness, its joyned in Commission with the Spirit of God, they are obeyed or rejected together.
1. Our duty then in token of our thankfulness is,Use 1. That we listen to the voyce of Conscience, and be ruled by it; we must take advice thereof ere we do any thing: If we will not be ruled thereby, but do contrary thereto, it will one day exclaim against us, when God shall judge us for our disobedience; Why, did not I give thee a Conscience to tell thee of these things, will God say? Yes, Lord, shall Conscience answer, I told him it was naught, and yet he would do it; I told him such and such a thing was his duty, and urged him to it, and yet he would not give ear, but put off the time from one day to another; he would not repent, have prayers in his family, &c. such shall then be stricken speechless: Most are so eagerly carried after their passions and unruly affections, as that they do not hear the voyce of their conscience, the noise of those drowns the voyce of this.
2. Even natural men have a light of conscience urging them to good,Use 2. and restraining them from evil: None so evil, but they have in them some light, by which conscience is set on work to advise or counsel to the doing or avoiding this or that good or evil; its therefore no note or sign of grace in any, because their conscience doth thus and thus: This is in meer natural men, from the light and knowledge that conscience hath of things good or evil, yea, oftentimes so forcible are those stirrings of conscience in them, as that it keeps and restrains them from many sins which they are inclined to, and would otherwise commit, and puts them upon many good things which it urgeth them to, which of themselves they have neither will nor power to do; not from the love they have of the good, or hatred of the evil, but beca…se they would please Conscience, which will not suffer them to be at quiet till it be obeyed; this they may do, and yet in the mean time may be onelyonly in the state of Nature; for though here they obey Conscience, yet they do it not for Conscience sake: Their obedience ariseth not from the purity and holiness of the Law of God, but from fear of men, from discredit or shame, from hope of reward, desire of ease or the like: If there were no other cause to move them to enter upon good duties, or to restrain them from doing evil, but the Law of God, they would not yield that obedience to Conscience, which now they do: And thus conscience gives judgement before things be done.
For its judgement after our Actions:After our actions. It then gives sentence, This was well done, This was ill done, and not so onelyonly, but with an Absolution or Condemnation: This was well done, therefore you are innocent in it, and deserve neither guilt nor punishment; This was ill done, therefore you are guilty, and have deserved Gods wrath hereby:1 Sam. 12. 3. Samuels Conscience spake for him,Exod. 9. 27. Whose Ox have I taken, &c. Pharaohs against him,Prov. 28. 1. I have sinned, &c. Thus is Conscience as a Judge acquitting or condemning us,2 Cor. 1. 12, yea,1 Iohn 3. 21. a little God as it were in the midst of man, giving sentence beforehand, as it shall be at the Tribunal seat of God on the last day: If it acquits us, then it worketh Peace, Joy, Comfort, Boldness; if it condemn us, especially forcibly, O then it causeth shame (as in Adam, when he fled and hid himself in the thicket after he had offended) so also fear, yea, in the midst of all jollities, as in Belshazzar, and at small things, as the shaking of a leaf; so also sorrow (which the world judgeth to be melancholy, whereas it is far otherwise, and yet both may and do often meet together) yea, desperation as in (Cain and Judas) and an universal distraction of body and minde:Isa. 57. 20. the accusation of conscience are wounds to the heart;Acts 2. 37. Davids heart smote him:Prov. 18. 4. A wounded Spirit who can bear?Mark 9. 48. They are as the gnawing of a Worm that never dyeth, but lyeth continually gnawing at ones heart.
1. If our consciences do excuse and acquit us,Use 1. bearing witness of the truth and integrity of our hearts, of our hatred of evil, our delight in Gods word, and endeavor to please him above all things, &c. then may we rejoyce and be of good comfort, the same being an infallible mark of our Salvation, and may be bold in believing the same against Satan and all his discomforts: Theres a great fault in many Christians, though (as the Apostle saith) They know nothing by themselves, 1 Cor. 4. 4.but that their hearts bear witness with them, of their care and faithfulness in all things, yet are never the more comforted, but are still cast down through Satans suggestions and lyes, and their own unbelief: If thine own conscience well informed according to Gods Word acquit thee, why shouldst thou not be of good comfort? you may be humbled for your failings, yea, deeply for your strong corruptiōs, & yet for the main, be of comfort; if in any particular we have done well, we may be comforted.
2. Let us always keep our selves in well-doing,Use 2. that we may hear our consciences speak comfortably, so may we keep a continual feast.
3. If we have any thing lying on our consciences,Use 3. for which they boyl within us, and accuse and pronounce judgements against us, let us not make a slight matter of it; but seek to God for mercy, and to be discharged of it, that so we may still conscience, which then may be done, not before: Stop not the mouth of conscience, as many do by mirth and toys, this is but to delude thy self and delay time; others let it alone, and think to wear it out in time: O no, conscience will still cry louder!Simile. What if one should make the Bayliff drunk, and so get away, the debt is never the more paid, he will come again; though the evil Spirit in Saul went away by the Minstrels playing, yet it returned to him again; the like may be said of conscience: I wonder at the horrible madness of some people, though their consciences do already accuse them and condemn them for many things, yet are so far from seeking to disburthen them, that they daily adde more and more thereto: How justly may these fear, lest the terror of conscience come so fiercely on them, as even to weary them out of their lives? But howsoever they sleep now, there will be a time when they will awaken and cry to the purpose.
4. Let us take heed that from henceforth we do not burthen our consciences,Use 4. they will be Witnesses, Accusers, Judges, Tormentors, If this be against us, what shall be for us? and if this condemn us, who who shall clear us?Simile. If we have eaten too much, or some unwholsom thing, and it lye on our stomack, we cannot be at rest, till we be emptied thereof, and accordingly thenceforth are more careful to abstain from the like; so should we do in respect of sin, yea, in our places, as Magistrates, Ministers, Husbands, Parents, Masters, &c. we must discharge our duties, and for the same have the testimony of our conscience, and enjoy the peace thereof; then which, what's more to be desired? & which not gain, pleasures, honor, &c. can procure: Because thy conscience doth not now accuse thee, thou dost haply conceive that al's wel, but assuredly hereafter it wil, though it may be twenty years hence, and that when thou shalt be least able to undergo it, as in sickness, &c.
5. This cleareth Gods justice,Use 5. he will nor needs not bring other witnesses or occasions against us, then our consciences; they will testifie with us, or against us on that day. Before I leave this Point, consider we, that the Word of God is that which tells us what is to be done, and what left undone, and that this bindes the conscience to obedience; when any thing is done agreeable to the Word, the conscience saith, its well, and excuseth; when any thing is done contrary to the Word, the conscience saith, its ill, and condemneth: As for them that have not the Word, their consciences judge by the light and Law of nature, which was left man after the fall (for there remain some general notions in mans heart both of the first and second Table, as appears by the Laws which the Heathens have made about the worship of their Gods, and against perjury, murther, theft, adultery, &c.)Rom. 2. 15. These I say, are judged by this: Its true, that mens Laws, an Oath, a Vow, do binde the conscience, but its by vertue from the Word; now if the minde be enlightened with the true knowledge of the Word of God, then will the conscience give right judgement, but if it be ignorant of the Word, then it may make the conscience erronious, or scruplous and doubtful.
An erronious conscience,An erronious conscience, what it is. is when it accuseth where it should excuse, or excuse when it should accuse, which comes from an erronious judgement, which judgeth good to be evil, and evil to be good; hence the conscience of some men excuse them in doing things that be flatly bad,See Iohn 16. 2. and accuse them for doing good things: Thus a Papist thinks he doth well to go to Mass,Gen. 30. 18. and that he should do very wickedly to come to Church with us.
A doubtful conscience is,A doubtful conscience what it is. when a man is not perswaded of the lawfulness of a thing, or the unlawfulness of it, but is as a man that holds a Wolf by the …ars, he knows not whether he should let him go, or hold him still,Rom. 14. whoso thus doth any thing, sinneth; both this and the former proceed from the want of the knowledge of Gods Word.
We must therefore labor to be well instructed in the Scriptures;Use. ignorant persons must needs fill their lives with swarms of offences and sins, for they not knowing many things to be sins which be, swallow them, and never accuse themselves for them; as we say, the blinde cats many a flye, and do many things which they have no faith of the lawfulness of, but do them for custom, example of others, and the like, and so sin in them; people think if they be free from murther, whoredom, theft, &c. they be in a good case, but being ignorant,Psal. 119. 105. their lives abound with sins: O therefore let the Word be a light unto our feet, and a lanthorn unto our paths: Thus of the offices of conscience.
For the third, Three questions here offering themselves, require resolution.
Q. 1. Whether doth a man sin,Whether a man doth sin that doth according to his conscience. that doth according to his conscience: As a Papist thinks he serves God highly well in going to Mass; one in the Primitive Church, thought Fornication a thing indifferent, and so committed it; A man thinks he may lawfully travel homeward on the Lords-day, being in a journey.
A. He doth ill that doth any of these, or the like; for his erring conscience cannot make that good, which God hath before pronounced to be evil, by forbidding it in his Word; our conscience is not our rule, but Gods Word: Thus every one should be saved by his own devotion, and it were lawful to go to a cunning man, to sell as dear as we can, to deceive them that deceive us, to use the Creed and Ten Commandments as a Prayer,See Acts 26. 9. &c. which who can justifie?Whether a man do any thing against his conscience being erronious,
Q. 2. Whether it be lawful for a man to do a thing against his conscience, I mean, though his conscience be erronious and deceived: As if a Papist be perswaded that its a sin to come to Church with us, and yet for fear comes; an Anabaptist holds it unlawful to take an oath before a Magistrate, and yet through fear he doth?
A. They do ill, not simply for doing these things, as being good, and such as God requires, but for doing them with an ill conscience against their conscience; so that if they do not these things being required, they sin; if they do them, they sin, what then? They must labor to be informed, and perswaded of the lawfulness of them, and then do them: So that though (as in the former question) our perswasion of the lawfulness of a thing being indeed unlawful, makes it not good; so the doing of a good thing against ones conscience, makes it unlawful: If a man think himself bound in conscience to pray three times in a day, he ought so to do, though God hath left it indifferent: An erronious conscience must be followed till it be better informed,Rom. 14. but how vile is it to commit an evil against the checks and light of conscience,1 Cor. 8. 7. and yet whats more frequent?
Q. 3. Whether is it lawful to do a thing with a doubtful conscience.Whether it be lawful to do a thing with a doubtful conscience.
A. By no means, a particular faith must be had for all our actions; we must forbear a thing till we be perswaded, and such ought to be born with that seek resolution: A scruplous Conscience is, when a man is inclined to think a thing lawful, and yet hath some scruples and doubts, by reason of many difficulties that he hath heard of, which he knoweth not how to answer or resolve: Here our rule is to labor to suppress all difficulties that make us doubt; but if it cannot be done, then its lawful to follow conscience notwithstanding those doubts and scruples, as Deut. 13. when the people were setled in a true way of serving God, if one should come and teach them a contrary way, confirming the same by a sign, this must needs breed some scruples in the peoples mindes; nevertheless, conscience enclining to the truth of the former Doctrine, they are bound to stand to it: Thus of these three Questions.
For the fourth,The several kindes of conscience. There are good and bad consciences; Mans conscience was onelyonly good in the Creation, since the fall all mens consciences are corrupted and perverted, whereof some are renewed and sanctified from Heaven, and so become good, though not perfectly, because of the remnants of corruption:Tit. 1. 15. Whosoever is not sanctified, hath an ill conscience of one kinde or other.
An evil conscience is either a still and quiet evil conscience or stirring, either by accusing, or excusing wrongfully; for the true property of a good conscience, is to excuse altogether for well-doing: Now when the conscience is either num and dead, and lies still, or otherwise accuseth for sin, or excuseth wrongfully, this is an ill conscience.
Of a still quiet ill conscience there be three kindes,The kindes of a still quiet conscience. namely, sleepy, secure, and seared.
The first,Drowsie. a sleepy drowsie conscience, that lives and lies in many sins, and yet accuseth not by reason of ignorance in the Word of God, as the common sort neglect many a duty, and commit many a sin, that conscience never checks them for, because they be ignorant of Gods Law, for which another that knows the Law of God is humbled, with them are omnia bene; they hope to be saved by their good meaning, and crying God mercy at last; they are not troubled at wandring thoughts, worldly talk on the Lords day, to go to bed without prayer,Simile. and the like: They are like one that comes into a sluttish house in a dark night, and sees nothing amiss, but when the Sun shines perceives the foul corners, yea, the very moats that flye in the Sun-beams: Some such have come under a lightsom Ministery, and have wondred and been ashamed of themselves, and have been humbled and converted; Thus was it with Paul before and after his conversion.
The second,Secure. A secure conscience, that is stirred onelyonly at foul and staring sins, hates murther and fighting, but in rash and unadvised anger is not moved at all; is somewhat troubled at swearing by wounds and blood, but makes nothing of By my faith, truth, this bread, fire, Sun that shines, and the like; such have wide throats, that can swallow all small things: So there are that make conscience of oppression, cruelty, in justice, but none of neglecting the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, or prophaning the Lords-day, which be greater then the former, though they do not so think; and partly the commonness of them makes their conscience not accuse in them, or that they be never awakened for their sins, till some great cross do befal them, or after some rowsing Sermon, then their consciences work; therefore they cannot abide such Preaching, though it were happy for them, if they might hear such still, till they were wearied out of themselves.
The third,Seared. A benumbd, brawny and seared conscience; benumbd, as a member in the dead Palsie; brawny, as a laboring mans hand; seared, as with an hot iron, which is worst of all: when men go on and make conscience of nothing, but do what they list, and their hearts scarce smite them, being (as Nabal) like blocks and stones, daring do any thing, and committing most horrible foul sins, and yet not being troubled thereat: This comes by the custom of sin, and refusing the checks of their conscience, and Gods giving them up to a reprobate minde, and an hard heart, to work wickedness, and that with greediness:Eph. 4. 18. great sins also lyen in without repentance, do harden and benumb the conscience, as a part of the body that is seared is past feeling: They not onelyonly doing against the light of Gods Word, but even against the light of nature, and their natural conscience, God gives them over, and so they go on in sin, without sence of any thing.
The cause of these, especially the two first, is chiefly the want of a faithful Ministery, for where this is, though they be not converted, yet they be convinced, and sin not so quietly as others; or if they live under such a faithful stirring Ministery, and yet have drowsie and secure consciences, its because they come not to the Word, or regard not what they hear, or understand it not, or sleep thereat: But there are some more notorious, which will not lightly abide a zealous or powerful Ministery, but will get away from it, else if they tarry, through long contempt of the Word, and hardening their hearts, they grow past feeling, having set down with themselves, they will never be moved with whatsoever is said: This is a great plague, it takes from a man the onelyonly means under God of his repentance; he is as one under a grave stone, that cannot rise: These are lusty and merry, they think their case happy, they say, Peace, peace, they thank God they were never troubled in conscience, and marvel at them that be, thinking them out of their wits, or else that they have been some great offenders, &c. but they are troubled, not because they be out of their wits, but because they now begin to come into their right minde, as its said of the Prodigal,Luke 15. 17. They be troubled not because they be greater sinners then the others, but because they see that the others see not, which if they saw (as it were happy for them if they did) they would see cause enough to be wounded to the purpose: But do they think their conscience will ever lie thus still? No, let them be assured God will set all in order before them, and their benumb'd conscience will prove a raging conscience. A Bankrupt makes a great shew at first, afterward breaks, and is arrested and imprisoned; many make fair promises unto Delinquents, that they will speak to the Judge for them, &c.Simile. but do indeed prove their chief adversaries, such are the consciences of these men: If it be once awakened and stirred, it will roar as a Lyon, and tear out their throats; a sleepy conscience is like a starcht Ruff, that stands up brave in fair weather, but falls quite down in a storm: The peace of such a conscience is naught, it comes not after humiliation, nor proceeds from apprehension of Gods love, but from a false imagination, having no true reformation of life accompanying it.
Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here,See Ioh. 3. 20, 21. whilest there is help (though usually most shun the same) they must 1. Labor to be acquainted with Gods Law,Means whereby the conscience may be awakened. wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins: Therein they shall perceive their own error, as who thought that they did love God above all, and their neighbors as themselves; that they did ever serve God, and put their whole trust in him; that it was lawful for them to swear, so it were true; that it was lawful to go to wizards, that on the Lords day they might walk about their fields, and do their other businesses, and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church; that they might do with their own what they list, &c. 2. Labor to know and believe that the least sin is damnation (yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses,See Deu. 29. 19 and are not a whit moved by all the threatnings of Gods Word) that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified, and flie out of themselves to God for mercy, which is the onelyonly way to come to good: To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons, meditate of Gods judgements, go to such as are afflicted, or lie on their death beds, consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins, and that if they themselves should dye suddenly (this night) their condition were miserable: If any shall say, My conscience hath been quiet all this while, I do not mean to call my estate into question; let such know, that many go snorting to Hell, and that a troubled conscience is better then a drowsie secure conscience, for that may come to good, the other is out of all possibility of mercy:See Acts 2. 37 and 16. 29. Indeed, to stay in terror of conscience is fearful, yet not worse then to have a benumb'd conscience; there's hope of them that be troubled,Simile. of the others but a little. Physitians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick, and that to purge away some ill humors, for the health of the body; no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls; yet is it a common speech of most, at the visitation of the sick, Oh, I pray do not trouble him, he is in a very good minde, &c. but the Prodigals condition (though he had ragged cloaths and a rent heart) was better then his elder brothers; and the Publican justified, not the Pharisee: Thus of the quiet ill conscience.
The stirring ill conscience,The stirring ill conscience. is either when it stirs by excusing, or by accusing.
Excusing,Excusing. upon the doing of some evil, whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty, as the hearing of the Word, Prayer, and the li…e: Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel, for not obeying Gods Commandment; thus hath it been with some Papists, when they have practiced Treason against their Prince and Countrey. A good conscience doth excuse indeed, but rightly, not amiss, in all things, not in some onelyonly, for the maner as well as the thing it self.
Accusing,Accusing. and that 1. When it should not, as an Idolator is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service. 2. For trifles, and not for matters of weight, as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands, but not of murthering Christ; as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day, who yet make no conscience of Whoredom, Swearing; so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbors, who yet are no whit moved for prophaning the Lords day, not coming to the Sacrament, neglect of Prayer and the like. 3. When it is forcible and violent, causing horror and fear, gastliness, terror in the dark, or at the sight of any of Gods Judgements, trembling at the ratling of a leaf, yea, and desperation it self: This, though it be not good of it self, yet turns to the good of the godly; God brings them this way, onelyonly he leaves them not here, but by the voyce of the Gospel doth relieve their mindes, and perswades them to seek mercy, upholding them with the hope thereof: Some have checks of conscience, but so, as they can bear them out; some again, so as they cannot endure them.
Who so finde their consciences accusing them for their sins,Use. and know no pardon, but their consciences still tell them of their sins, and that their course is bad, let such know, that they have evil consciences, which being let alone, will accuse them worse: If their consciences accuse them, God is greater, and knows more: Therefore let them seek to pacifie God and their consciences too. To this end, consider, That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ,1 Iohn 3. 20. then which there is no other way to satisfie Gods displeasure, nor to stanch the terrors of conscience; let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God, confessing their sins, and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same,See Psal. 32. 5. thereupon craving of him with strong cryes and humble prayers,Prov. 28. 13. the pardon and forgiveness thereof: To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts,Isa. 1. 18. God hath made many gracious promises;Ezek. 33. 16. Thus suing to him,Mat. 11. 29. he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer: This is the onelyonly course to come to good (to still conscience with forgetting our sins, and mirth, is but to deceive our selves, to wear it out by head and shoulders; its but as the putting away of the tooth-ake with cold water, which will still it for a little, but after it reboundeth more violently) this is the way to get peace: After this will our consciences begin to be quiet, and thereupon excuse and comfort: Then will Faith purifie the heart, and work an hatred of all sin, with a continual care to please God in all things: Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were. I cannot but wonder at a number of men, whose consciences witness against them, who yet seek not to pacifie them by assurance of pardon, but adde more daily unto their sins; whose consciences bear witness, That they have no care to please God, but their way and works be naught, assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder; O lay up no new matter of accusation, all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought:Simile. Its as to drink pleasing poyson, it goes down pleasantly, but afterward wounds the bowels: If a man had never so much wealth, yet if he have an ill conscience, what shall it profit him? It were as if a man had a costly banket, rich apparel and attendance, &c. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by him to kill him: This is a Bailiff to arrest, a Jailer to keep safe, a witness to accuse, a Judge to condemn, an Executioner to torment, &c. Its of all foes the worst, they accuse to men, this to God; one may go from them sometimes, but not from this: Its an evil help in adversity, which like Jobs friends troubles us more then all the rest; It will be a woful companion at the hour of death, and day of Judgement: Its like a woful contentious wife, when a man hath had trouble enough abroad, coming home, he findes more there: O their life is no life, that live with a worm gnawing within! Thus, what joy will there be of health, wealth, or whatsoever else? yea, as we are to take heed of this, so also are we of a benumbd conscience, the end of both being bad, the one no less dangerous then the other; Thus of a bad conscience.
A good conscience, is an excusing and comforting conscience, that speaks on ones side, and that for well doing: Thus have the Angels in Heaven a perfect excusing conscience; So had Adam in his innocency, and we shall one day have in heaven: Now our conscience is but so in part, as all our other faculties; Some corruption remains therein, even in the best, and therefore doth sometimes accuse, or excuse when it should not, but for the most part it excuseth and witnesseth comfortably on our sides; this is either a good quiet, or a good troubled and trembling conscience.
A good quiet conscience hath these two parts,A good quiet conscience. an heart witnessing to us, 1. The pardon of our sins past in the blood of Jesus Christ (for as Jonah's casting into the Sea,Heb. 9. 14. stilled the same; So believing in Christ,Ionah 1. 15. stills the most troubled conscience; if we be justified through him,See Act. 16. 30. who shall condemn?) and 2. Our unfained uprightness and care to please God in all things, detesting all evil, and bearing true love to his Word and Saints; of the former read these Scriptures, Job 19. 25. Romans 8. 16. Psalm 4. 6. and 32. 1. Gal. 2. 20. Cant. 2. 16. Of the latter these, Psalm 26. 2. and Isaiah 38. 3. Acts 23. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Heb. 13. 18. They that believe most assuredly the pardon of their sins, and walk most stedfastly with God, they have the good quiet conscience, at least so far as is here to be attained: This is a wonderful Jewel,2 Cor. 1. 12. a continual feast;Ioh. 30. 20, 21. This causeth joy; This causeth boldness to come to the Word,1 Iohn. 3. 21. boldness before God, boldness also towards men (let men say what they will,Acts 23. 1. we care not, if our consciences witness truly on our sides) yea, boldness against the Devil, who will lay much to our charge, sifting us to the full: O thou art a damned Creature, will he say: No, Satan; yes, an horrible sinner, and who hast deserved Hell fire: I grant (Satan) but Christ Jesus hath paid my debt, and delivered me; If thou shalt scape Hell, yet thou shalt never get to Heaven (will he say) for none come there but such as keep the Law: O Christ hath kept it for me! But he hath dyed but for a few, whereof thou art none; yes, I am: He dyed for none, but such as truly believed in him, so dost not thou: Yes, I do believe, and do lay hold on his gracious promises: But Christ dyes for none, to whom he gives not power to become new Creatures, so art not thou: Hereunto will a good conscience answer boldly, and so put Satan to flight.
This differs from a bad quiet conscience,Wherein it differs from a bad quiet conscience. that comes from ignorance of their danger (as a blinde man standing before a Canon) this out of knowledge of Gods Word; This is quiet upon examination, that because never examined; This is quiet upon good grounds, that upon nothing but upon bear conceits; This hath joy adjoyned therewith, which that hath not: That leaves one in deadness, this quickens the heart to every good duty; This holds at all times, that driven away by the terror of the Ministery of the Word, or by afflictions, especially it fails at death and Judgement day.
A good troubled and trembling conscience is,A good troubled conscience. when one is perswaded of Gods love, and the pardon of sin through Christ, but cannot hold it firm and fast; and this not in the beginning of their conversion onelyonly, but after they hold it with a wavering hand, so doubtful and full of fears, because of their unworthiness, and the greatness of the mercy, so that ever anon they are to seek, and ready to faint: And for the other, their heart witnesseth the true hatred of all sin, and care to please God in all things, but herein they think they do nothing as they should, and that they can do no good, and even when they have done duties very carefully, yet are they still troubled, as if they did all for fear of pain, and Hell, and not for the love of God, or out of self-love in hope of Heaven, and to save their souls: And because they finde some corruptions and rebellions, they think that these spoil all their duties, and that they themselves are vile wretches, yea, though they hate them deadly, yet this doth not satisfie them, they hate them not so much as they should. Again, they are so timerous and fearful, whether they may eat this or that, or thus much, wear such good apparel, do this or that, go this way or that, all which notwithstanding are lawful for them, but they are so afraid to offend God, that they often accuse themselves, &c. This is a good conscience, though not so setled as were to be desired, and as the other is: This may appear by these Notes;
Such would not part with the comfort they have for the world,Signs declaring the goodness thereof. nor be utterly out of hope, and are glad when they can believe best: They resolve to trust in God, and serve him, though he would kill them; They are humble, and both much and servent in Prayer; They hang upon the Ministery of the Word, hunger after the Sacrament, long for the Sabbath, delight in the Saints: There's no Physitian more welcome to a sick body, then a godly Minister to them in time of trouble; They walk usually more strictly, then they that have more comfort, and are more zealous, and more afraid to sin, and more grieve at sin in others; So that this is a good conscience no less then the former, Both go to Heaven, the one in sharpness, the other in sweetness run the way of Gods Commandments;Simile. They be like to two Travellers through a Wilderness, or in a dark night, one of good courage, afraid of nothing, the other of a fearful nature, afraid of every thing, both which get well through: So do these, the one hath experience of Gods goodness in not being troubled and tempted, the other of his power in being upheld, that he is not swallowed up and overcome of fear and grief: O that there were many such consciences! And yet it cannot be denyed, but that the other is better, as having more comfort in themselves, and being more fit to do good unto others, and yet they may scape some checks the others may meet with, as Peter; yea, God seems more to tender these then those; as a Father having two Children, both beloved of him, the one sick, the other in health, is most careful of him that is sick, that he may recover: To have a tender conscience, checking us for the least sin (idle words, vain thoughts, and the like) as Davids, for curting off the lap of Sauls Garment,1 Sam. 24. 5. is a singular blessing, and therefore to obtain it, we must both see the odiousness of sin, judging aright thereof, and must bring our hearts to mourn even for the smallest sins.
1. Let every man examine himself whether he hath a good conscience or not,Use 1. whether art thou assured of the pardon of thy sins? whether doth thine heart bear witness that thou hatest all sin, and art truly desirous to please God in all things, as well great as small, secretly as openly? at least in the deep sence of thy misery, art thou wearied under it as an intollerable weight? hearing of the onelyonly remedy, dost thou long after it above all the world? art thou as willing to turn from sin, as to have sin forgiven; to take up his yoke, as to be refreshed by him? If not, thy case is fearful; What have we, if we have not this?The great benefits of a good conscience. Its our duty then to labor for it, and not rest till we obtain it; What may not incite us hereto? It procures Joy, Peace, Comfort, Boldness before God and men; such are bold to pray unto God, bold to crave others to pray for them:See Pro. 14. 10 Its comfortable in prosperity,Heb. 13. 18. a sweet companion at home and abroad, night and day; its a sweet companion in adversity, like a good wife by her kindeness chearing her husband when he comes home, who hath been much turmoild abroad, another Simon to bear a piece of our cross, yea in the greatest crosses, this assureth us, that yet God is our Father: he visits us in love, he will assist us, and at last deliver us: Its a Castle of comfort, an armor of proof, a continual feast, an Heaven upon earth: It makes a man embrace the flames, kiss the stake, and being in the fire, accounts as if he were on a bed of Roses: In death its comfortable when all things else forsake us; then when our eyes are shut up, yet through this we shall with Steven, Acts 7. 56.see Christ Jesus ready to receive us, and shall say, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: In the day of judgement it will make us lift up our heads with joy, when we shall see our Savior Christ come to receive us into his heavenly kingdom: O they that have a good conscience should make much of it, as of their jewel, and labor to keep it: It may be easily lost, and is hardly recovered, as may be seen in David and Peter.
The first part of it,How it is kept namely, The assurance of our Salvation is kept by daily renewing our Confessions, Supplications and Thanksgivings: To this end we must labor to know the will of God, and daily to grow in knowledge, by our diligent perusal of the Scriptures.
The 2 part of it, namely, our care to please God is kept & maintained by a daily and constant resolution not to offend God, and so we must both strive and watch against our frowardness, worldly-mindedness, &c. and covenant and vow to do the will of God to the uttermost of our power: Hereupon we must walk carefully, as in the presence of God, avoiding all occasions of sinning, & using all good means to keep us in a good course publiquely and privately, being diligent and careful in our particular calling, to the glory of God, and good of our brethren.
2. This reproveth those that having a good conscience, fail as much in laboring to keep it,Use 2. as the World doth in not laboring to obtain it: How do Christians go on carelesly, without renewing their exercises of Faith and Repentance, and so their assurance is to seek, or else hold it at a venture, and coldly? our worst day in the week might be better then our Sabbath, had we but the grace to use our time aright: O how many are careless, watch not, give way to their lusts? therefore fall into many evils, and so wound their consciences very often, which is dangerous. A place often wounded or hurt, will not at last be healed: We dishonor God much, disquiet our consciences, give evil example to others by our frowardness, impatience, worldliness, hard dealings, &c. Hence it cometh, that the Word pincheth us, evil tidings amaze us, we are loath to dye, and the day of Judgement is fearful to us.
3. This may encourage and comfort those that have good consciences,Use 3. though they be timerous: What, God shews mercy, even to men unworthy, and though thy sins be many and great, ye… hast thou to deal with him that's able to pardon them: Lose not that thou hast; when we lose good consciences, all Gods graces diminish and vanish away, neither can we thrive any whit, as is seen by daily experience: But nothing can do us hurt as long as our consciences hold good; then are we fit to live, and fit to dye; fit for the Word and Sacrament, fit for death and judgement: Thus of the kindes of conscience, and so of conscience in general.
Having a good conscience, A godly conversation is to accompany the zealous profession of our Faith.&c.] Now of the Words in particular, whereof I have laid down their coherence with the former, and from whence may be noted, That a godly conversation in all things, is to be joyned to a bold and zealous profession of our Faith; to our knowledge and profession,See Iosh. 1. 8. gifts, utterance, and the like, we must adde a good life;Mat. 5. 16. these two be two Twins (St. Paul often joyns them together) neither must they be parted,Iohn 13. 17. saying and doing,Iam. 1. 22. the tongue and hand must accompany one another.
Reasons hereof may be these:Reasons. 1. God expecteth of us, that where he reveals the knowledge of his will, that we adde obedience, or else we shall be beaten with more stripes:Luke 12. 47. Where God findes this,Isa 41. 8. he delights in it, as in Abraham, who is called, The friend of God; in David, 1 Sam. 13. 14.whom he calls, A man according to his own heart; so in Joh, in Zachary and Elizabeth, Isa. 1. and 58.&c. we finde the same commended: The contrary God loaths,Ezek. 14. & 33 as in his own people, whom he did again and again advertise hereof. 2. This will prove our profession sound, and not hypocritical (for hypocrites go a great way,Acts 15. 9 but its onelyonly Faith that purifieth the heart) and that our knowledge is not swimming in our brain,Iames 2. 18. but sound and saving knowledge, purging both heart and life, when we dare compact with any other, and say, Shew me thy Faith by thy works, as I can. 3. This not onelyonly Gods children look for, when we have got knowledge, and come forward in profession more then before, then we should live answerably, that they may boldly converse with us, but the common sort of the world also, they expect it, for though they will take liberty themselves, yet they look that we Ministers and Professors of Religion, should lead a strict life in all things: If we do otherwise, we shall hear of it; and surely we are beholding to them for this (though they do it of no good minde) and may make good use thereof to look to our selves, as questionless Abraham did, when in the matter of variance which arose between him and Lot, Gen. 13. 7.For that the Canaanite and Perizzite were then in the Land. 4. Its an honor to our profession, when with Job, we dare bid our adversary write a book against us;Iob 31. 35. and the contrary is a disgrace,2 Sam. 12. 14. not to our selves onelyonly, but to our profession, yea, our Religion it self in the account of the wicked, whereat they blaspheme, yet ought not they to judge ill of all for the fault of some, but especially of Religion it self, though the professors thereof were naught: No man blames the Trade for the fault of the Tradesman, nor all for the fault of some, yet here they do it, when they see men make a shew of Religion, but denying the power thereof: If professors differ not in their lives from others, it makes the world think that there's nothing in profession, and yet they may perceive some few walk without exception.
1. This rebuketh some,Use 1. that having good knowledge, and are very ready to speak, yea, and to censure and blame that that is not good, and are very forward in profession, yet halt foully in their lives; as the Brownists, that are very hot, and so holy, as they not onelyonly censure others, but condemn the Church it self, not onelyonly as impure, but as no Church, and yet themselves, besides that, they are Proud, Scornful and Obstinate (not to speak of their living out of any Church, and their spending their Sabbath) they foully sin against the second Table; they borrow what they can, not caring to pay again, are breakers of their Word and Promise, think to live of other mens labors, and yet that herein they should be born with, as being extraordinary persons, they would say, in being idle and negligent in their callings; yea, there are some of them which will swear, steal, and break the Sabath: A woful Generation.
2. It reproveth such among our selves,Use 2. which place all Religion in hearing Sermons, and talking, as some servants do, which yet perform not the duties of their calling, are idle, untrusty, lazy, stubborn, disobedient, as if all should be born with because of their hearing sermons, whereas on that very ground more is to be lookt for at their hands: And this is grown to such a pass, that many of the common sort of people say, of all they will not meddle with these Biblewenches (of which before) Is not this a good report you have brought upon the Word? yea, many godly Christians are weary of such (not but that I know there be godly servants of both Sexes, that have learned to shew the fruit of their hearing by all good carriage in their particular calling, and are as jewels to them they be with, but these be rare) Do these things agree? as well as Harp and Harrow: Doth God take pleasure in this, that you should hear his Word, and yet not minde to be guided thereby? How can you approve that there's any more in you then in Hypocrites and Reprobates? can you shew your Faith by your works? Dare you bid your adversary write a Book against you? Do you not set men off from Religion, and make them speak ill? You all that usually resort hither to the Word, I bescech, to shew the fruits of it when you come home; your neighbors look for it, your lives be pryed into, it may do you good; we see your faces onelyonly, and think well, that you will hear, but your neighbors they see your lives, and God seeth your hearts; and if your faces were like Angels, and your hearts corrupt, and lives unreformed, you shall have your portion with Devils. And here I think it requisite to speak of an abuse amongst us, that they which bring in here (because of the concourse of people) their commodities to sell, raise the prizes, and sell dearer then in any of the Market Towns round about us, whereby they wrong the poor here, and raise the prizes elsewhere (for if a price be up, its a president straight) yea, and also raise an evil name on the Gospel: I do not mean yet that Christians going to Market are bound to sell at lower rates, then the ordinary, though I take them so bound at home in dear times to their own poor Neighbors, yet is it not the part of a Christian to be the raiser of prizes, especially in dear times; Its indeed a note of a wicked worldling.
3. This rebuketh even good Christians that walk not so wisely towards them that be without as they ought,Use 3. nor yet so strictly in their lives, but are too forward, hasty, strict in their dealing, slack in paying their work-folks, are careless of their words, &c. O let all such professing themselves the Servants of God, shew forth the same by all good conversation in their particular Callings: Thou must not be a zealous woman, and yet an unquiet wife; a zealous man, and yet a cruel husband; a zealous yong man or maid, and yet an unfaithful Servant; a zealous man, and yet a false dealer in your Shops and Trades.
Good] This is fitly added,A godly man will stand by the truth. and well required, for one of wicked life will never stand to the truth, but fall from it, for Heresie is the punishment usually of foul sins, but a godly man will stand most to the truth.
They that speak evil of you, as of evil doers] Here note, That
The wicked are very apt and much bent to speak ill of Gods Servants:The wicked are apt to speak ill of Gods servants. Thus Elias was said to trouble Israel, Elisha termed a mad fellow, and called bald-head; Micaiah said, that he never prophesied good; and Jeremiah, that he raved; so Steven was said to have blasphemed, as Paul to be a pestilent fellow; nay, the perfection of innocency, Christ himself was most foully spoken of, termed a Samaritan, a friend of publicans and sinners, one that had a Devil, &c. Thus was it in the Primitive Church; thus is it still: If the godly do any thing amiss, how do they toss and encrease it? If they do but groan under an infirmity, they will be sure to set that abroach against them; if they know nothing, they will devise some evil of them, or if they hear of any from others, though never so unlikely, or on never so a bad ground, yet shall it go for payment, and currant; yea, though they can make their own vices go under the name of vertues, yet they will call their vertues by the name of vices: If zealous, then hot and rash; if couragious in a good cause, then stomackful; if patient, then blockish; if wise in their matters, then subtle fellows; if diligent in their place, very officious, busie, medlers, troublesome; if they run not to the same excess with others, then precize fools, &c. Thus even for their godliness do they speak evil of them, and so call light darkness, and darkness light.
1. Therefore,Use 1. Gods people must walk wonderful warily.
2. They must not think it over-strange,Use 2. nor be discouraged, if notwithstanding all their care of well-doing, they be ill spoken of.
3.Use 3. We must not readily believe of men that have carried themselves well, all that we hear; but try it out, ere we censure, or change our minde.
4. For ill speakers;Use 4. Its a woful badge of Ishmaels generation, that shall be shut out of Heaven,Isa. 5. 20. and of Satans brood,Prov. 17. 15. who accuseth the Brethren: Cursed are they,Iude, verse 14. God hath appointed a time to judge them for their cruel speakings.
Nay, the world will not only speak ill of Gods Servants, but do ill to them, slay them, as Cain dib Abel; imprison them and pinch them, as Ahab did Micaiah; cast them into a dungeon, as the people did Jeremiah; into the Lyons den, with Daniel; spoil them of their goods, as those in Heb. 10. 34. rack them, torment them, torture them; even such as the world is not worthy of, and that for their good works; so Herod dealt by John Baptist, and thus were the Apostles served, and after, the Martyrs in the Primitive Church, and since, multitudes under Antichrist.
If therefore we meet with hard dealing, and doing as well as speaking, we must not think it strange: If we can hardly bear a few ill words, how shall we bear stripes? how Imprisonment, and loss of all, yea, toturings and death? ye have not yet resisted unto blood, or undergone the fiery tryal:Heb. 12. 4. we have infinite cause to be thankful together for our governors, for if they were so minded as many particular persons, there would be no peace for any zealous Christian: If I had authority, will some say, I would hang up all these Puritan knaves, &c. Neither must we think the worse of those that be troubled, for the the very best have been thus dealt withal.
They may be ashamed, A godly conversation stoppeth the ungodlies mouthes.&c.] The best way to stop the mouthes of the world, and to make them think well that they have done otherwise, is not by goodly great words, but by a good and constant godly conversation: Thus David convinced Saul, for he spared him, when he could have once and again killed him: Thus have many who have thought very hardly of such and such upon reports which they have heard of them, upon the view of their godly and innocent carriage been much grieved that they were so far abused:See Acts 16. Thus were the Martyrs thought well of by the common people, yea, by great ones, yea, by their very Jaylors.
1. As therefore we would muzzle and stop the mouthes of our adversaries,Use 1. that they may have nothing to say against us, nay, may be brought to acknowledge and love the truth, and be converted and glorifie God in the day of their visitation, let us live holily and innocently; else if they finde us halting, we set open their mouthes to speak ill, continue them in their ill minde and hard conceit, and set them further off from all goodness: Too too many professors fail this way, either they fall into foul sins, or live not so christianly, or else at least, with zeal they are very rash and indiscreet, by every of which, much hurt hath been done from time to time.
2. This sheweth them to be odde persons,Use 2. that knowing and seeing the innocent conversation of Gods Servants, yet cannot be satisfied nor quieted, but still speak evil of them; a sign of a very bad heart, who therefore will hate them, because they be good, whereas those that be but indifferently minded and civil, seeing their good conversation,1 Iohn 3. 12. will think and speak well of them: Cain had no other cause to kill Abel, Gal. 4. 29.but for his godliness; nor Ishmael to mock Isaac, but because he was the Son of the promise; nor these to speak evil of those, but because they are godly: Assuredly, a life agreeable to their profession should stop their mouthes.