Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1, Commentary · Commentary on verse 12 (1 of 4)

Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1 · Commentary · Commentary on verse 12 (1 of 4)

p. 214VERS. 12.

For our rejoycing is this, the testimonie of our conscience, &c.

SAINT Paul in these words doth divers things at once.

First, He shews a reason why many should pray for him, and give thanks on his behalf; you have cause, saith he, for our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c. therefore if many of you give thanks to God for me, it is your duty, my conscience beares me witness that I have carried my self well towards you, you have cause to pray for us, and to praise God for our deliverance, for you have received much good by us. God conveys much good by publick persons to those that are under rhem, therefore there ought to be many prayers, and many thanks for them.

And again, they ought to pray, and give thanks for him, because they should not lose their labour, they should not lose their prayers, their incense, because it should be for a man that was gracious with God, that had the testimonie of his conscience that he walked in simplicity, and godly sincerity, as he saith, Heb. 13. Pray for us, for we are assured that we have a good conscience: so they are a reason of the former.

Another thing that he aimes at is, the preventing of some imputations: he was accused in their thoughts at least, and by the words of some false teachers, that were his worst enemies, as you have no enemy (next to the divell) to a Minister, like a Minister. If a man would see the spirit of the divel, let him look to some of them. Saint Paul had many enemies, many false brethren, that laid false imputations upon him to disparage him in the thoughts of others, in the thoughts of his hearers. They accounted him an inconstant man, that he came not to them when he promised, and that he suffered affliction, and it was like enough for some desert: they accounted him a despicable man, he suffered afflictions in the World, he wanted discretion to keep himself out of the crosse. Nay, saith he, whatsoever you impute to me, and lay upon me, Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience &c.

p. 215Again, he aimes at this, to lay the blame upon those false brethren, who deserved it: they think I am a deceiver: they think I am wilely: no, I do not walk so, I do not walk in fleshly wisdom as they do that seek themselves, and not you. So I say, Saint Paul aimes at divers things in bringing in these words.

We see here first of all, thatDoct. The more eminent men are, the more to be prayed for.

The more eminent a man is for place and gifts, the more he should be prayed for, and the more thanks should be given for him.

You have cause (saith Saint Paul) to do it for me: for our rejoycing is this, that we have walked in simplicity and sincerity, &c. and more abundantly to you-ward. Saint Paul was a brother as he was a Christian; he was a Father in regard he had called them to the faith: and he was an Apostle. In all regards they ought to praise God for him: because he was a Father, because he was the father of them, (you have not many Fathers, saith he) and because he was an Apostle, a man eminent, by whose meanes God conveyed a world of good to the Church.

To make way to the main thing, Observe this in general, that

Christians are often driven to their Apologie.

Especially Ministers the Fathers of Christians: holy men in the Church Doct. Christians driven to make apologies.are driven to their Apologie, and defence: because those that shine in their own consciences, wicked men labour to darken them in their reputation, that their own wickednesse may be the lesse seen, and observed. It hath alway been the policy of Satan, and of wicked men, (that so all might seem alike) to lay aspersion s upon those that were better men then themselves. Saint Paul is forced to make his Apologie, to retire to the testimonie of his conscience, Our rejoycing is this, the testimonie of our conscience, &c.Use. Not to think strange if we be driven to it.

Therefore make this use of it, not to think it strange if we be driven to our Apologie.

But some may say, is not the life the best Apology? as St. Peter saith, that you may stop the mouthes of gain-sayers.Quest.

Yes, of all Apologies life is the best, to oppose to all imputations: but notwithstanding it is not enough.Answ. Life the best Apology, but not enough sometimes.

A man is cruell, if he make not his Apology and defence sometimes: because his imputations tend to the hurt of others, being publick persons, especially Ministers, who have so much authority in the hearts of people, as they can gaine by their good life and desert: and if any imputation lie upon them, they are to clear it in words, their life will not serve the turn, but they must otherwise make their Apologie (if it be needfull) for themselves, as Saint Paul doth here. It is not onelyonly lawful, but expedient sometimes to speak by way of commendation of our selves.

In what cases?A man may speak in commendations of himself.

Not onelyonly in case of thankfulnesse to God, to praise God for his graces in us.

And likewise in case of example to others, a man may speak of Gods 1. For thankfulnesse.work in him, he may tell what God hath done for his soule, and in his soul, that God may have glorie, and others may have benefit.2. For example.

But likewise in the third place (and it was Saint Paul's case here) a man may speak of himself, by way of Apology and defence, that the truth 3. For defence.suffer not. It is a kind of betraying the cause, for a man to be silent when he is so accused. Though (as I said) a good life be the best Apology, and p. 216except there be a good life the verball apologie is to little purpose, yet the apology of life oft-times in publick persons is too little: In these cases we must speak of our selves, and of the good things of God in us.

But, another quere may be here, May a man glory in that which is in him, of the grace of God that is in him? Our glorying should be in Christ, in Question.the obedience, and righteousnesse of Christ, and in God reconciled through Christ: can a Christian glory in any thing that is in him, which is imperfect?

I answer briefly, Saint Paul doth not here glory in the Court of Justification, but in the Court of a Christian conversation: therein a man may Answ. How a man may glory of the graces in him.glorie in the work of grace in him, in those inward works, and the works that flow from them. When a man is to deal with men he may set forth his life, nay, when a man is to deal with God he may set forth his sincerity, not, I say, in the Court of Justification, but in the Court of Sanctification, and a holy life. There good works are the ornament of the spouse, they are her Jewels: but come to the Court of Justification, all are dung, as the Apostle saith, Philip. 3. All are dung and drosse, not worthy to be named, they are not able, they are not strong enough; all that comes from us, and all that is in us it is not able to bear us out in glorying in the Court of Justification, All are stained as menstruous cloaths.

But mark, Saint Paul speaks of glorying before men, of a sanctified life. He glories not in his conversation and sincerity as a title; but he glories in it as an evidence that his title is good. That whereby he hath his title is only by the righteousnesse of Christ, that he hath heaven, and is free from hell, that is the title: but what evidence have you that Christ and his righteousnesse is yours? there must be somewhat wrought in you, and that is sincere walking. So he alledgeth it as an evidence of his state in grace, that that was good. So we see in what case he gloried in his sincerity.

To come to the words.

For the words themselves, they contein the blessed temper of Saint Paul's spirit in the middest of disgraces, in the middest of imputations, the temper of his spirit it was joyful, glorying.

Our rejoycing is this.

The ground of it is, The testimony of our conscience.

The matter whereof conscience doth witnesse and testifie, it is conver… sation, that is the thing testified of.

And the manner positively, In simplicity, and godly sincerity. In simplicity: you would think this to be a simple commendation, to commend himself for simplicitie: but it is a godly simplicity whereby we are like to God, to be simple without mixture of sin and hypocrisie, without mixture of errour and falsehood: that simplicity that is despised by carnall wretches that stain and defile their consciences, and call them what you will, so you account them not simple they; despise the tearm of an honest simple man.

Simplicitie is not here taken for a defect of knowledge, (as the word is commonly used) but for an excellencie whereby we resemble God that is free from all mixture of sin and Ignorance. In simplicity, and godly sincerity.

And then negatively, Not in fleshly wisdom.

p. 217And then, because this setting out of himself might seem to be ostentation, to set down his glorying in his conscience, and in his simplicity, here is a qualification of it likewise, indeed I glory in my simplicity, and sincerity, that is, in my conversation: but it is by the grace of God. By the grace of God my conversation hath been in godly sincerity, and not in fleshly wisdom: For St. Paul was wondrous jealous of his heart, for fear of pride, not I (saith he) 1. Cor. 15. I laboured more then they all: O, not I, but the Grace of God that was in me: he was afraid of the least insinuation of spirituall pride, and so he saith here, Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity, by the grace of God.

And then the extent of this conversation, (thus in simplicity, and sincerity) in regard of the object, it hath been thus, In the world, towards all men that I have conversed with, they can say as much, wheresoever I have lived. And more abundantly to you-ward, my care and Conscience hath been to carry my self as I should, more abundantly to you-ward, with whom I have lived longest. This is an excellent evidence of a good man, that he is best liked where he is best known. Now St. Paul had lived long amongst them, and he was their father in Christ, and therefore saith he my conversation is known, especially to you-ward.

Many men are best trusted where they are least known, their publick conversation is good and plausible, but their secret courses are vile and naught, as those know that are acquainted with their retired courses: but you (saith the Apostle) with whom I have lived longest, with whom I have been most, you can bear witnesse of my conversation, that I have lived so and so in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

This is our rejoycing, &c.

We see here the temper and disposition that St. Paul was in, he was in a glorying, in a rejoycing estate. We see then that,

A Christian (take him at the worst) his estate is a rejoycing estate.

Our rejoycing is this. The word in the originall is more then joy: for it is (foreign) a glorying, our glorying is this, which is a joy manifesting Doct. Christians have their joy.it self in the outward man, when the heart and the spirit seeme as it were to go outward, and (as it were) to meet the thing joyed in. A Christian hath his joy, his glorying, and a glorying that is proper to himself: it is a spirituall joy, as it followes after, Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience.

So goodis God, that in the worst estate he gives his Children matter of rejoycing in this world: he gives them a taste of heaven, before they come there. He gives them a grape of Canaan, as Israel, they tasted of Canaan what a good land it was before they came thither: so Gods Children, they have their rejoycing. St. Paul swears and protests it, 1. Cor 15. By our rejoycing in Christ Jesus I die daily: as verily as we joy in all our afflictions; so this is true that I say, that I die daily.

Therefore we should labour to be of such a temper, as that we may glory, Use. To labour for a temper that we may glory.and rejoyce. A Christian hath his rejoycing, but it is a spiritual rejoycing, like his estate. Every creature hath his joy, as St. Chrysostome speaks: we do all for joy, all that we do is that we may joy at length, it is the centre of the soule. As rest is to motion, so the desire of all is to joy, to rest in joy. So that heaven it self is termed by the name of joy, happinesse it self, Enter into thy masters joy. Every creature hath his joy proper to him, every man hath his joy: a carnall man hath a carnal joy, a spiritual man hath a holy joy.

p. 218First, he joyes in his election which was before all worlds, that his name A Christians joy.is written in heaven, as it is, Luke 11. Rejoyce in this, that your names are 1. In Election.written in heaven, and not that the divells are subject unto you.

And then, he joyes in his justification, that he is freed from his sins, Rom. 8. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through Christ, and we rejoyce 2. In justification.in afflictions: being justified first, there is the way how this joy comes in. A Christian being justified by faith, and freed from the guilt of his sin, it worketh joy.

And then, there is a joy of sanctification, of a good conscience, of a holy 3. In sanctification.life led, as we see here, our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c.

And then, there is a joy of glory to come, We rejoyce under the hope of glory, 4. In the hope of glory.saith the Apostle, Rom. 5 so a Christians joy is suitable to himself.

There is no other man that can glory, and be wise, because all men but a Christian, they glory in their shame, or they glory in vanishing things. A A Christian only can stand to his joy.Christian is not ashamed of his joy, of his glorying, because he glories not in his shame. Therefore the Apostle here justifies his joy, our rejoycing is this, I care not if all the World know my joy, it is the testimony of my conscience. As if he should say, Let others rejoyce in base pleasures which they will not stand to a vow, let others rejoyce in riches, in honours, in the favour of men, let them rejoyce in what they please, my joy is another kind of joy, I rejoyce in the testimony of my conscience. A Christian as he hath a joy, so he hath a joy that he will stand to, and make it good. There is no other man but he will blush, and have shame in his forehead, that joyes in any thing that is baser then himself, that joyes in outward things, he cannot stand to it, and say, This is my joy: but a Christian hath the warrant of his conscience for that which he joyes in, and therefore he is not ashamed of it. Another man dares not reveal his joy.

All the subtiltie of the world, is to have the pleasures that sin will Wicked men labour to hide the ground of their joy.afford, and yet withall they study to cover it, that it may not appear. Where is the joy of the ambitious?

His study, his thought, and his joy is to have respect Haman-like, and yet he studies to conceal this, he dares not have it known, he dares not avow it, This is my rejoycing, for then all the world would laugh at him for a vain person.

Again, the joy of the base-minded man, is in his pleasure, but he dares not avow this, he dares not say, my rejoycing is this; for then every man would scorn him as a beast. The rich man, he joyes in his riches, but he dares not be known of this; for he would then be accounted a base earthly-minded man. Every man would scorn him. He studies to have all the pleasure, and all the comfort that these things will afford, and yet to cover them.

Because he thinks, that there is a higher matter that he should joy in, if he were not an atheist.

A Christian is not ashamed of his joy, and rejoycing, I rejoyce in this, saith he. For it is well bred, it is bred from the Spirit of God witnessing A Christian not ashamed of his joy.that his name is written in the Booke of Life, witnessing that his sins are forgiven, witnessing that he lives as a Christian should do, witnessing that 1. It is well bred.he hath the evidences of his justification, that he hath a holy life, the pledge likewise of future glory: his joy is well bred.

Likewise it is permanent. Other mens joy, and rejoycing is but p. 2192. It is permanent.as a flash of thornes, as the Wise man calls it, (as it were) a flame in thornes, as the crackling of thornes, which is sooner gone. And it is an unseemly glorying and rejoycing, for a man to glory in that which is worse then himself, and in that which is out of himself: as all other things are out of a mans self, and worse, and meaner then a mans self: therefore a man cannot rejoyce in them, and be wise. It is a disparagement to the wisdom of a man, to glory in things that are meaner then himself, and that are out of himself. A holy Christian hath that in himself, and that which is more excellent then himself to glory in. This is our rejoycing, the testimony of our conscience.

All other rejoycing it is vain glorie, and vain rejoycing: therefore in Jerem. 9. saith he, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome, let not the strong man glory in his strength, let not the rich man glorie in his riches: but if a man will glorie, let him glorie that he knowes the Lord to be his, and that he knowes himself to be the Lords. When he knowes the Lord to be his, and himself to be Gods by faith, and a good conscience, then there is matter of glorying.

Of all kind of men, God doth hate proud boasters most of all; for glory, is the froth of pride, and God hates pride, he opposeth pride, and sets himself in battel aray against it, and who can thrive that hath God for his enemie? boasting and pride in any earthly thing it is against all the Pride against all the commandements.commandements almost. It is Idolatrie, it makes that we boast, and glorie in, an Idoll; whereas we should glorie in God that gives it.

And it is spirituall adulterie, when we cleave in our affections to some outward thing more then to God. It is false witnesse: pride is a false glasse, it makes the things, and the men themselves that enjoy them to seem greater then they are. The divell amplifies earthly things to a carnall man in a false glasse, that they seeme big to him: whereas if he could see them in their true colours, they are false things, they are snares, and hinderances in the way to heaven, and many such names they have. The Scripture gives an ill report of them, They are vanity and vexation of spirit: because we should be discouraged from setting our affections on these things, and from glorying in them.

Therefore let us take heed of false glorying; if we will glorie, we see here what we are to glory in, This is our rejoycing, the testimony of our conscience, &c. And this we may justify, and stand by that it is good. It is the Testimony of conscience.

This is our rejoycing, the testimony of our conscience.

The testimony of conscience, it is a matter and ground of joy to a true Christian; here we are to consider these things.

First, to consider a little the nature of conscience.

And then, that conscience beares witnesse, that there is a testimony of conscience.

And that this conscience bearing witnesse is a ground of comfort.

For the first,

Every man feeles, and knowes what conscience meanes. There be many Conscience whatrigid disputes of it among the Schoole men that had leisure enough, & of all men knew as little, and felt what it was, as any sort of men, living under the darkness of Poperie, and superstition, and being in thraldome p. 220to the Pope, and to the corruptions of the times they lived in. They have much jangling about the description of it, whether it be the soule it self, or a facultie, or an act?

In a word, Conscience is all these in some sort, in diverse respects: therefore I will not wrangle with any particular opinion.

For what is conscience, but the soul it self reflecting upon it self? It 1. The soulit self.is the propertie of the reasonable soule and the excellencie of it, that it can return upon it self. The beast cannot; for it runs right forward: it knowes it is carried to the object: but it cannot returne, and recoile upon it self: but the soule of the reasonable creature, of all even from men to God himself, who understands in the highest degree, though he do not discourse as man doth, yet he knowes himself, he knowes and understands his owne excellencie. And wheresoever there is understanding, there is a reflect act whereby the soule returnes upon it self, and knowes what it doth: it knowes what it wills, it knowes what it affects, it knowes what it speakes, it knowes all in it, and all out of it. It is the propertie of the soule. Therefore the originall word in the Old Testament that signifies the heart, it is taken for conscience. Conscience and heart are all one, I am perswaded in my soul, that is, in my conscience: and the Spirit witnesseth to our spirit, that is, to our conscience. Conscience is called the spirit, the Heart, the soul: because it is nothing but the soul, reflecting and returning upon it self.

Therefore it is called conscience, that is, one knowing joyned with another: because conscience knowes it self, and it knowes what it knowes, it knowes what the heart is, it not onelyonly knowes it self, but it is a knowledge of the heart with God. It is called conscience, because it knowes with God; for what conscience knowes, God knowes that is above conscience. It is a knowledge with God, and a knowledge of a mans selfe.

And so it may be the soule it self indued with that excellent facultie of reflecting and returning upon it self, therefore it judgeth of its own acts, because it can return upon it self.

Conscience likewise in some sort may be called a faculty; the common stream runs that way, that it is a power. It is not one power, but conscience 2. A faculty.is in all the powers of the soule; for it is in the understanding, and there it rules; conscience is it by which it is ruled and guided. Conscience is nothing but an application of it to some particular, to some thing it knowes, to some rules it knowes before. Conscience is in the will, in the affections, the joy of conscience, and the peace of conscience, and so it runs through the whole soule. It is not one facultie, or two, but it is placed in all the faculties.

And some will needs have it an act, a particuler act, and not a power. When it doth exercise, conscience it is an act: when it accuseth, or excuseth, 3. an Act.or when it witnesseth, it is an act, at that time it is a facultie in act. So that we need not to wrangle whether it be this, or that? let us comprehend as much in our notions as we can: that it is the soul, the heart, the spirit of a man returning upon it self, and it hath something to doe in all the powers; and it is an act it self, when it is stirred up to accuse, or to excuse: to punish a man with fears and terrours, or to comfort him with joy, and the like.

Now Conscience it is a most excellent thing, it is above reason, p. 221and sense: for conscience is under God, and hath an eye to God alway. An Atheist can have no conscience therefore, because he takes a way the ground of conscience which is an eye to God, Conscience lookes An Atheist can have no conscience. Conscience above reason:to God, it is placed as Gods Deputy, and vicegerent in man. Now it is above reason in this respect: Reason saith, you ought to do this, it is a comely thing, it is a thing acceptable with men amongst whom you live and converse, it becomes your condition as you are a man to carrie your self thus, it agrees with the rules, and principles of nature in you. Thus saith reason, and they are good motives from reason. But conscience goeth higher; There is a God to whom I must answer, there is a judgment, therefore I do this, and therefore I do not this. It is a more divine, a more excellent power in man then any thing else, then sense or reason, or whatsoever. As it is planted by God for special use, so it looks to God in all.

Therefore the name for conscience in the Greek and Latine, signifies a knowledge with another, because it is a knowledge with God; God and my own heart knowes this, God and my conscience, as we use to say.Three things joyned with conscience:

There are three things joyned with conscience.

It is a knowledge with a rule, with a generall rule, that is alway the foundation of conscience in a man, For there is a general rule, Whosoever commits 1. It is a knowledge with a generall rule:murther, whosoever commits adultery, whosoever is a blasphemer, a swearer, a covetous, corrupt person, he shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, as the Apostle saith. Here is the generall rule, now conscience applies it, but I am such a one, therefore I shall not enter into heaven: so here the conscience it practiseth with a rule. It is a knowledge of those particulars with a generall rule. And then it is a knowledge of me, of my own heart, I know what I have done, I know what I doe, and in what manner, whether in hypocrisie, or sincerity: I know 2. Of our own actions.what I think. And then it is a knowledge with God: for God knows what conscience knowes, he knowes what is thought or done, Conscience is 3. A knowledge with Godabove me, and God is above conscience. Conscience is above me and above all men in the world; for it is immediately subjugated to God; conscience knowes more then the world, and God knowes a thousand times more then Conscience or the world. It is a knowledge with a general rule; for where there is no generall rule, there is no conscience. To make this a little clearer, all have a rule: those that have not the Word which is the best rule of all, yet they have the Word written in their hearts; they have a naturall Judicature in their souls; their conscience excusing, or accusing one another, they have a generall rule, you must do no wrong, you must do that which is right.

In the soule there is a treasurie of rules by nature; (the Word doth add more rules, the Law and the Gospel) and that part of the soule that preserves rules is called intellectual, because it preserves rules; all men by nature have these graven in the soule. And therefore the Heathen were exact in the rules of justice, in the principles which they had by nature, grafted and planted in them.

Now because the copie of the Image of God, the Law of God written in nature, was much blurred since the fall, God gave a new copie of his law which was more exact; therefore the Jewes which had the Word of God, should have had more conscience then the p. 222Heathen, because they had a better generall rule. And now we having the Gospell too which is a more Evangelicall rule, we should be more exact in our lives then they.

But every man in the world hath a rule. If men sin without the Law, they shall be judged without the law, by the principles of nature: if they sin under the Gospell, they shall be judged by the Word and Gospell. So that conscience, it is a knowledge with a rule, and with the particular actions that I have done, and a knowledge with God.

In a word, to clear this further concerning the nature of conscience, know that God hath set up in man a Court, and there is in man all that are in a God hath set up in man a Court, wherein conscience isCourt. There is a Register to take notice of what we have done: besides the generall rule (for that is the ground and foundation of all) there is conscience which is a Register to set down whatsoever we have done, exactly; 1. Register.the conscience keeps diaries, it sets down every thing, it is not forgotten (though we think it is) when conscience is once awaked. As in Jer. 17. The sins of Judah are written with a pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, upon their souls: all their wit and craft will not rase it out. It may be forgotten a while, by the rage of lusts, or one thing or other; but there is a Register that writes it downe, conscience is the Register.

And then there are Witnesses, The testimony of conscience: conscience doth 2. Witnesse.witness, this I have done, this I have not done.

There is an Accuser with the witness, the conscience it accuseth, or excuseth.3 Accuser.

And then there is the Judge, conscience is the Judge there: it doth judge, this is well done, this is ill done.4. Judge.

Then there is an Executioner, and conscience is that too, upon accusation, and judgement there is punishment. The first punishment is within a 5. Executioner.man alway before he come to hell. The punishment of conscience it is a prejudice of future judgment: there is a flash of hell presently after an ill act, The Heathen could observe, that God hath framed the heart and the brain so, as there is a sympathic between them, that whatsoever is in the understanding that is well and comfortable, the understanding in the braine Sympathie between heart and brain.sends it to the heart, and raiseth some comfort. If the understanding apprehend dolorous things, ill matters, then the heart smites, as Davids heart smote him: the heart smites with grief for the present, and with fear for the time to come.

In good things, it brings joy presently: and hope for the time to come, that followes a good excusing conscience.

God hath set, and planted in man this Court of conscience, and it is Gods Hall (as it were) wherein he keeps his first judgement wherein he keeps his Conscience Gods Hall.Assizes. And conscience doth all the parts, it registreth, it witnesseth, it accuseth, it judgeth, it executes, it doth all.

Now you see in generall, what the nature of conscience is, and why it is planted in us by God.

One maine end among the rest, (besides his love to us to keep us from sin, and then by smiting us to drive us to conversion and repentance, to Judgment of conscience a forerunner ofthe great judgment.turn from our sins to God, another maine end) is to be a prejudice, to make way to Gods eternall judgment: for therein things are judged before: when God layes open the Book of conscience, when it is written there by this Register, we shall have much to do to excuse our selves, or to plead p. 223that we need many witnesses, for our conscience will accuse us, we shall be self-accusers, self-condemners, as the Apostle saith. Conscience will take Gods part, and God will take part with conscience. And God hath planted it for this main end, that he might be justified in the damnation of wicked men at the day of judgment.

Now I come to the second particular, that conscience gives evidence, or Conscience beareth witness.witnesse. This is the evidence, or testimony of our conscience. The witness of conscience it comes in this order. Upon some generall rules, that the conscience hath laid up in the soule, out of nature, and out of the Book of God, the Conscience doth apply those Generalls to particulars.

First, in directing, this is such a truth in generall, you ought to carry your self thus and thus, to do this, saith conscience: so it directeth, and is a Josephs Brethren:monitor before it be a witnesse. Well, if the monitions of conscience be regarded and heard, from thence comes conscience to witnesse, that the generall rule that directs in particulars, hath been obeyed, and so after it hath done its duty in directing, it comes to judge, and to witnesse, this I have done, or this I have not done; so the witnesse of conscience comes in that manner.Conscience … witnesse.

Now if you would know, what manner of witnesse conscience is, It is a witnesse that there is no exception against: it is a witnesse that will say 1. Faithful.all the truth, and will say nothing but the truth: It is a witnesse that will not be bribed, it will not be corrupted long. For a time we may silence it, but it will not be so long, nor in all things. Some sins may be slubbered over, but there are some sins that by the generall light in nature are so known to be naught that conscience will accuse: therefore it is a faithfull Judge and Witnesse, especially in great sins, it is an uncorrupt witnesse. It is a true Register, it is alway writing, and setting down; though we know not what it writes for the present, (being carried away with vanities and lusts:) yet we shall know afterward when the book of conscience shall be layd open.

It is a witnesse that we cannot impeach, no man can say, I had no body to tell me. Alas, a mans own conscience will tell him well enough at the day of judgement, and say to him when he is in hell, as Reuben said to his Brethren when they were in Egypt in prison, Did not I tell you, hurt not the boy? meddle not with him: so conscience will say, Did not I witnesse? did not I give you warning? Yes, I did, but you regarded it not. It is a faithful witnesse, there is no exception against it.

And then it is, an inward witnesse, it is a domestcik witnesse, a Chaplain in ordinarie, a domesticall divine, it is alway telling us, and alway ready 2. Inward.to put good things into us. It is an eye-witnesse, and an eare-witnesse; for it is as deep in man as any sin can be. If it be but in thought, conscience tells me what I think; and conscience tells me what I desire, as well as what I speak, and what I do. It is an inward, and an eye-witnesse of every thing. As God sees all, and knowes all, who is all eye, so conscience is all eye, it sees every thing, it heares every thing: it is privie to our thoughts.

As we cannot escape Gods eye, so we cannot escape the eye of conscience, Whether shall I flee from thy presence? saith David, If I go to heaven, thou art there: if I go down into hell, thou art there So a man may say of conscience, Whither shall I flee from conscience? If a man could flee from p. 224himself it were somewhat: conscience is such a thing as that a man cannot flee from it, nor he cannot bid it, Be gone: it is as inward as his soul. Nay, the soule will leave the body, but conscience will not leave the soule. What it writes, it writes for eternity except it be wiped out by repentance. As Saint Chrysostome saith, Whatsoever is written there may be wiped out by daily repentance.

You see then, it is a witnesse, and how and what manner of witnesse conscience is.

Therefore we should not sin, in hope of concealment: what if thou conceal it from all others, canst thou conceal thy own conscience? As one Use. Not to sin in hope of secrecy,saith well, What good is it for thee that none knowes what is done, when thou knowest it thy felf? what profit is it for him that hath a conscience that will accuse him, that he hath no man to accuse him but himself? he is a thousand witnesses to himself. Conscience is not a private witnesse, it is a thousand witnesses: therefore never sin in hope to have it concealed. It were better that all men should know it, then that thy self shouldest know it: all will be one day written in thy forehead, conscience will be a blab: if it cannot speak the truth now, though it be bribed in this life, it will have power & efficacy in the life to come. Never sin therefore in hope of concealment, conscience is a witnesse, we have the witnesse in us: and as Esay saith, Our sins witnesse against us. It is in vain to look for secrecy, conscience will discover all.

Again, considering that conscience doth witnesse and will witnesse, let us Use. To labour that conscience may witness well.labour that it may witnesse well, let us labour to furnish it with a good testimonie. Let us carrie our selves so in all our demeanour to God and men, that conscience may give a good testimony, a good witness, it will witness either for us, or against us.

Therefore first of all, labour to have good rules to guide it. And then, labour to obey those rules: knowledge and obedience are necessary, that conscience may give a good witnesse. Now a good witnesse of conscience is two-fold. A true and honest witnesse, and then a peaceable witnesse followes on it: that it may witnesse truth, and then that it may witnesse peace Good witness of conscience two-fold.for us.

That conscience may witnesse truly, and excuse us, conscience must be rightly instructed: for naturally conscience can tell us many things. The 1. Labour for good rules,Heathen men, Philosophers (we may read it to our shame) they made conscience of things, which Christians that are instructed by a further rule then conscience, (that have the Book of God to rectifie the inward Book of conscience) yet they make no conscience of. How many cases did they make scruple of? to discover faults to the buyer in their selling, and to deal truly, and honestly, (for the second table especially;) it should make Christians ashamed.

But besides that rule, we have the rule of the Scriptures: because men are ready to trample upon, and to rase out the writing of conscience, but the Book of God they cannot: therefore that is added to help conscience. And God adds his Spirit to his Word to convince conscience, and to make the witnesse of the Word more effectuall; for although the Word say thus and thus, yet till the Spirit convince the soul, and set it down that it is thus; till it convince it with a heavenly light, conscience will not be fully convict. That conscience therefore may be able to witnesse well, Let us regard the notions of nature, preserve them: if we do not, God will give us p. 225up to grosse sins. Let us labour to have right principles, and grounds, to cherish principles of nature common with the Heathens: and to lay up principles out of the Word of God, to preserve the admonitions, and directions, and rules of the Word.

And especially the sweet motions of Gods blessed Spirit. For conscience alway supposeth a rule, the rule of nature, the rule of the Word, and the suggestions of the blessed Spirit with the Word.

Therefore (to note by the way) an Ignorant man can never have a An Ignorant man cannot have a good Conscience,good conscience, especially a man that affects Ignorance; because he hath no rule: he labours to have none. It is not meerly ignorance, but likewise obstinacy with ignorance.

He will not know what he should, lest conscience force him to doe what he knowes. What a sottish thing is this? It will be the heaviest sin that can be laid ro our charge at the day of judgment, not that we were Ignorant, but that we refused to know, we refused to have our conscience rectified, and instructed.

And those that avoid knowledg, because they will not do what they know: they shall know one day that their wilful Ignorance will be laid to their charge as a heavy sin.

Labour to have right principles and grounds. What is the reason that commonly men have such bad consciences? They have false principles, they Why men have bad consciences.conclude, may I not do what I list? may I not make of my own what I will? and every man for himself, and God for us all: diabolicall principles. And so commonly if a man examine men that live in wickednesse, they have false principles, God sees not, God regards not: and it is time enough to repent. The cause that men live wickedly is false principles: therefore they have so vile consciences as they have, their hearts deceive them, and they deceive their hearts. They have false principles put into them by others, they are deceived, and they deceive their hearts, they force false principles upon themselves. Many study for false grounds to live by for their advantage.

There are many that are Atheisticall, that live even under the Gospell, and what rule have they? the example of them by whom they hope to rife: they study their manners, they square their lives by them, that is all the rule they have.

And again, the multitude: they do as the most do, and custom, and other false rules. These rules will not comfort us, to say, I did it by such an example, I did as others among whom I live did: or I did it because it was the custom of the times: these things being alledged will comfort nothing. For who gave you these rules? doth God say any where in his Word, you shall be judged by the example of others? you shall be judged by the custom of the times you live in?

No, you shall be judged by my Word: The Word that Moses spake, and the Word that I speak shall judge you at the last day. They that have not the Word, shall be judged by the Word written in their hearts: Those that have sinned without the Law, shall be judged by that, without the Law of Moses.

God hath acquainted us with other rules. We must take heed of this therefore, thatwe get good rules: take heed that they be not false rules: for the want of these directions, men come to have ill consciences. Where there is no good rule, there is a blind conscience. where there is no application p. 226of the rule, there is a prophane conscience. And where there is a false rule, there is an erroneous, a scrupulous, a wicked conscience.

A Papist, because he hath a false rule, he cannot have a good conscience. The abomination of Popery is, that they sin against conscience, and Papists cannot have a good conscience, why?conscience indeed is even with them, for it overthrowes the most of their principles: They sin against conscience many wayes, (I mean not against their own conscience, but) they sin against the conscience of others. For what do they? That they may rule in the consciences of men (for that is the end of their great Prelate the Tyrant of souls) they have false rules, that the Pope cannot erre: their rule is the authority, and judgement of him that cannot erre: and he (for the most part) is an unlearned man in Divinity that never read over the Scriptures in all his life; and he must judge all controversies. Where this is granted, that the Pope cannot erre, he fits in the conscience to do what he list. And he makes divine Lawes, and cursed is he, saith the Councel of Trent, that doth not equalize those traditions with the VVord of God.

From this false rule comes all, even rebellion it self: If he give dispensation from the oath of Allegiance, because he cannot erre; therefore they ought to obey him, and rebell against their Governours. All rebellion is from that rebellious rebellion that comes from false principles. These men talk of conscience, and they come not to Church for conscience sake; what conscience can they have, when they have false rules? To equivocate and lie, sins against nature. And other rules that give liberty against the Word: that children may disobey their Parents, and get into a Cloyster, &c.

The most of Popery (though there were no VVord of God) it is against nature, against conscience, which God hath planted in man as his deputy, his tenant.

And as they sin against conscience. so (as I said) conscience is even with them. For let a man trust to his conscience, and he can never be a sound Papist: except he leave that, and go upon base false grounds, because other great men do it, and because his predecessours have done it, &c. I appeal to their own consciences, if any man at the day of death think to be saved by his merits, doth not Bellarmine (after long dispute of salvation by merits) disclaime it? doth he not put away merits, for the uncertainty of his own righteousnesse? So their own consciences do wring away the testimony of trusting to merits.

Again, that Original sin is no great sin, it is but the cause of sin, and it is lesse then any venial sin: Oh, but when conscience is awaked to know what a corrupt estate it is, it will draw from them that which it drew from Saint Paul, Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Conscience when it is awaked will tell them that it is another manner of sin, and that it is the fountain of all sin.

And so for Justification by works, conscience it self (if there were no Book of God) would say it is a false point. And then they plead for Ignorance; they have blind consciences: their Clergy being a subtile generation, that have abused the world a long time: because they would sit in the conscience where God should sit: they sit in the Temple of God, and would be respected above that which is due to them; they would be accounted as petty gods in the world; therefore they keep the people from the knowledge of the true rule, and make what they speak equal with p. 227Gods word. Now if the people did discern this they would not be Papists long; for no man would willingly be cozened. Let us labour therefore for a true rule.

And when we have gotten rules, apply them: for what are rules without 2. To apply them.application? Rules are instrumental things; and instruments without use are nothing. If a Carpenter have a rule, and hang it up by him, and work by conceit, what is it good for? So to get a company of rules by the word of God, (to refine natural knowledge as much as we can) and then to make no use of it in our lives, it is to no purpose; therefore when we have rules, let us apply them.

In this those that have the true rule, and apply it not, are better then they that refuse to have the rule, because (as hath been said) an Ignorant man that hath not the rule, he cannot be good. But a man that hath the rule, and yet squares not his life by it, yet he can bring the rule to his life; there is a near converse between the heart and the brain, such a man, he hath the rule in his memory, he hath it in his understanding: and therefore there is a thousand times more hope of him that cares to know, that cares to hear the word of God, and cares for the meanes, then of sottish persons that care not to hear, because they would not do that they know, and because they would not have their sleepy, dull, and drowsie conscience awaked: there is no hope of such a one. It should be our care to have right rules, and in the application of them to make much of conscience, that it may apply aright in directing, and then in comfort. If we obey it in directing, it will witnesse, and excuse; and upon witnesse and excuse, there will come a sweet Paradise to the soul, of joy and peace unspeakable, and glorious.

The last thing I observe from these words is this, that

The testimonie and witnesse of conscience is a ground of Doctrine The witnesse of a good conscience a ground of joy.comfort, and joy.

The reason of the joyning these two, the witnesse of a good conscience, and joy; it is that which I said before in the description of conscience: 1. From the office of conscience.for conscience first admonisheth, and then witnesseth, and then it excuseth, or accuseth, and then it judgeth, and executeth. Now the inward execution of conscience is joy, if it be good: for God hath so planted it in the heart and soul, that where conscience doth accuse, or excuse, there is alway execution; there is alway joy, or fear; the affections of joy or fear alway follow. If a mans conscience excuse him, that he hath done well, then conscience comes to be enlarged, to be a Paradise to the soul, to be a Jubile, a refreshing, to speak peace and comfort to a man. For rewards are not kept altogether for the life to come; hell is begun in an ill conscience, and heaven is begun in a good conscience; an ill conscience is a hell upon earth, a good conscience is a heaven upon earth; therefore the testimony of a good conscience breeds glorying, and rejoycing.

Again, conscience when it witnesseth, it comforts, because when it witnesseth, 2. It witnesseth with God.it witnesseth with God, and where God is, there is his Spirit, and where the holy Spirit is, there is joy: for even as heat followes the fire, so joy and glorying accompany the Spirit of God, The Spirit of glory. Now when conscience witnesseth aright, it witnesseth with God; and God is alway cloathed with joy, he brings joy and glory into the heart. Conscience witnesseth with God that I am his.

p. 228And it witnesseth with my self that I have led my life thus, Our 3. Without selves.rejoycing is the witnesse of [our] conscience. It is not the witnesse of another mans conscience, but my own: other men may witnesse, and say I am thus and thus, but all is to no purpose, if my own conscience tell me I am another man then they take me to be: But when a mans own conscience witnesseth for him, there followes rejoycing. A man cannot rejoyce with the testimony of another mans conscience, because another man saith, I am a good man, &c. unlesse there be the testimony of my own conscience.

Now it is a sweet benefit, an excusing conscience, when it witnesseth well: Let us see it in all the passages of life, that a good conscience in excusing breeds glorying and joy.

It doth breed joy

in Life,

in Death,A good conscience breeds joy.

at the day of judgement.

In life, in all the passages of life; in all estates, both good, and ill.1. In life.

In good, the testimonie of conscience breeds joy, for it enjoyes the pleasures of this life, and the comforts of it with the favour of God; conscience In good estate.tells the man that he hath gotten the things well that he enjoyes, that he hath gotten the place, and advancement that he hath well: that he enjoyes the comforts of this life with a good conscience, and all things are pure to the pure. If he have gotten them ill, conscience upbraids him alway, and therefore he cannot joy in the good estate he hath. If a man had all the contentments in the world, if he had not the testimonie of a good conscience, what were all? What contentment had Adam in Paradise, after once by sin he had fallen from the peace of conscience? none at all. A little that the righteous hath, is better then great riches of the ungodly; because they have not peace of conscience.

And so for ill estate, when conscience witnesseth well, it breeds rejoycing. 2. In cvil estate.In false imputations, and slanders, and disgraces, as here, it was insinuated into the Corinthians by false teachers, and those that followed them, that 1. In false imputations.St. Paul was so and so: saith St. Paul, You may say what you will of me, My rejoycing is this, the testimony of my conscience, that I am not the man which they make me to be in your hearts by their false reports. The witnesse of conscience is a good and sufficient ground of rejoycing in this case. Therefore holy men have retired to their conscience in all times, as Saint Paul you see doth here.

So Job, his conscience bare him out in all the false imputations of his comfortlesse friends that were miserable comforters, they laboured to take away his sincerity from him, the chief cause of his joy, Yeu shall not take away my sincerity, saith he: you would make me an hypocrite, and thus and thus, but my conscience tells me I am otherwise, therefore you shall not take away my innocency from me. And in Job 31. 35. Behold, it is my desire, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversaries would write a Book against me, I would take it upon my shoulder, I would take it as a crown unto me. Here was the force of a good conscience in Jobs troubles, that if his adversaries should write a book against him, yet he would bind it as a crown about him: And so David, in all imputations this was his joy, when they laid things to his charge that he had never done: he takes this for his joy, the comfort of his conscience. So St. Paul, he retires to his conscience, and being raised up with the worthinesse of a good conscience, he despiseth p. 229all imputations whatsoever; he sets Conscience up as a flag of defiance, to all false slanders and imputations that were laid against him, as we see in the storie of the Acts, and in this place and others: saith he in one place, I passe not for mans sentence, I passe not for mans day; man hath his day, man will have his Judgment-seat, and will get upon the Bench, and judge me that I am such and such, I care not for mans day, there is another Judgement-seat that I looke unto, and to the testimony of my Conscience, My rejoycing is the witnesse of my Conscience.

Holie men have cause to retire to their own Consciences, when they would rejoyce against false imputations: so holy Saint Austin, what saith he to a Donatist that wronged him in his reputation? Think of Austin what you please, as long as my Conscience accuseth me not with God, I will give you leave to think what you will.

If so be that a mans Conscience cleares him, he cares not a whit for reports: because a good man looks more to Conscience then to fame; A good man looks more to Conscience then to fame.therefore if Conscience tell him truth, though fame lie he cares not much: for he squares not his life by report, but by Conscience. Indeed he lookes to a good name, but that is in the last place.

For a good man lookes first to God, who is above conscience; and then he lookes to Conscience which is under God: and then in the third place he lookes to report amongst men. And if God and his Conscience excuse him, though men accuse him, and lay imputations upon him, this or that, he passeth little for mans judgment: so the witness of conscience, it comforts in all imputations whatsoever.

Again, it comforts in sicknesse, Ezechias was sick, what doth he retire unto? Remember, Lord, how I have walked uprightly before thee; he goes to 2. In sicknessehis Conscience.

In sicknesse when a man can eate nothing a good Conscience is a continuall feast. In sorrow it is a Musician. A good Conscience doth not onelyonly Counsell, and advise, but it is a Musician to delight. It is a Physitian to heal. It is the best Cordiall, the best Physick: all other are Physitians of no value, Comforts of no value. If a mans Conscience be wounded, if it be not quieted by faith in the blood of Christ: if he have not the Spirit to witnesse the forgivenesse of his sins, and to sanctifie and inable him to lead a good life, all is to no purpose, if there be an evill Conscience: the unsound body while it is sick, it is in a kind of hell already.

Again, take a man in any crosse whatsoever, a good conscience doth bear 3. In Crosses and losses.out the Crosse, it bears a man up alway: because a good Conscience, being a witnesse with God, it raiseth a man obove all earthly things whatsoever: there is no Earthly discouragement that can dismay a good Conscience, because there is a kind of Divinitie in Conscience put in by God, and it witnesseth together with God; so that in all crosses it comforts.

So likewise in losses, in want, in want of friends, in want of comforts, in want of liberty: what doth the witnesse of a good Conscience in all these? In want of friends, it is a friend indeed: it is an inward friend, a near friend to us. Put the case that a man have never a friend in the world, yet he hath God and his own conscience: where there is a good conscience, there is God and his holy Spirit alway. In want of liberty, in want of outward comforts, he hath the comfort of a good conscience.

p. 230A man on his death-bed, he sees he wants all outward comforts, but he hath a good conscience. And so in want of libertie, when a man is restrained, his heart is at liberty.

A wicked man that hath a bad conscience, is imprisoned in his own Heart, though he have never such libertie, though he be a Monarch, a bad Conscience imprisons him at home, he is in fetters, his thoughts make him afraid of Thunder, afraid of every thing, afraid of himself: and though there be no body else to awe him, yet his conscience awes him. Where there is a conscience under the guilt of sin unrepented, there is the greatest liberty in the world, there is restraint; for Conscience is the worst prison. Where there is a good conscience, there is an inward inlargement. A good man in the greatest restraint hath liberty. Paul and Silas, Act. 16. in the dungeon, in the hell of the dungeon, in the worst place of the dungeon, in the stocks, and at the worst time of the day (of the naturall day I mean) at midnight, and in the worst usage, when they were misused, and whipped with all, they had all the discouragements that could be; and yet they sang at midnight these blessed men Paul, and Silas, because their hearts were enlarged, there was a Paradise in the very Dungeon.

As where the King is, there is his Court, so it is where God is. God in the prison, in the noysom dungeon by his Spirit so enlarged their hearts that they sang at midnight. Where as if conscience be ill, if it were in Paradise, Conscience would fear, as we see in Adam. Saint Paul in prison was better then Adam in Paradise, when he had offended God. Adam had outward comforts enough; but when he had sinned, his conscience made him afraid, of him from whom he should have all comfort, it made him afraid of God and hide himself among the leaves; alas, a poore shift. We see then, conscience doth witnesse, and the witness of it when it is good, doth cause the soul to glory and rejoyce, not onelyonly in positive ills, in slanders, and crosses, but in losses, in want of friends, in want of comforts, in want of liberty.

And so for the time to come, in evills threatned a good conscience is bold, It feares no ill tidings, Psalme 112. My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed saith David; wicked men are like the trees of the forrest, Isay 7. Wicked Ahaz, his heart did tremble, and shake, as the leaves with the wind. The noise of fear is alway in their eares; an ill Conscience when it is mingled with ill newes, when there are two feares together, it must needs be a great fear.

And a good conscience when it hath laid up grounds of joy in life in the worst estate, and condition of life, then it makes use of joy in death: for when all comforts are taken from a man, when his friends cannot comfort him, and all earthly things leave him, then that conscience that hath gone along with him, that hath been a Monitor, and a witnesse all his life-time, now it comes to speak good things to him, now it comforts him, now conscience is some body; at the houre of death, when nothing else will be regarded, when nothing will comfort, then conscience doth, The righteous hath hope in his death, as the Wise man saith. Death is called the King of feares; because it makes all afraid. It is the terrible of terribles, saith he Philosopher; but here is a King above the King of feares; a good conscience is above the King of feares, death. A good conscience is fo farre from being discouraged by this King of feares, that it is joyfull even p. 231in death: because it knowes that then it is near to the place where conscience shall be fully enlarged, where there shall be no annoyance, nor no grievance whatsoever.

Death is the end of misery; and the beginning of happinesse, therefore a good conscience is joyful in death.

And after death, at the day of judgment, there the witnesse of conscience is a wondrous cause of joy: for there a man that hath a good conscience, 3. At the day of judgement.he looks upon the Judge his Brother: he looks on him with whom he hath made his peace in his life-time before, and now he receives that which he had the beginnings of before, then he lifts up his head with joy and comfort. So you see how the witnesse of conscience causeth glory, and joy in all estates whatsoever, in life, in death, after death: it speaks for a man there, it never leaves him till it have brought him to heaven it self, where all things else leave a man.

Therefore how much should we prize, and value the testimony and witnesse of a good conscience? And what madnesse is it for a man to humour men, and displease conscience his best friend? Of all persons and all things in the world, we should reverence our own conscience most of all. Wretched men despise the inward witnesse of this inward friend, this inward divine, this inward Physician, this inward Comforter, this inward Counsellour. It is no better then madnesse that men should regard that every thing else be good, and clean, and yet notwithstanding in the middest of all to have foul consciences.

But to answer an objection, and to unloose some knots. It may be Objection.said, that when the Hearts of people are good, yet there a good conscience concludes not alway for comfort. VVhere there is faith in Christ, and an honest life, conscience should conclude comfort; here is the Rule, this I have obeyed, therefore I should have comfort.

Now this we see crossed oft-times, that Christians that live exact lives are often troubled in conscience: how can trouble of conscience stand with joy upon the witnesse of conscience?

I answer, the witnesse of Conscience, when it is a good conscience, it doth not alway breed joy.Answer. Why a good conscience doth not alway witnesse Comfort.

It is because our estate is imperfect here, and Conscience doth not alway witnesse out of the goodnesse of it, sometimee conscience is misled, and so sometimes good Christians take the errour of conscience for the witnesse of Conscience.

These things should be distinguished. Conscience sometime in the best erres, as well as gives a true witnesse.

If we take the errour of conscience for the witnesse of conscience, there will come trouble of conscience, and that deservedly, through our own folly.

Now conscience doth erre in good men, sometimes when they regard Rules which they should not, or when they mistake the matter and doe not argue aright. As for instance, when they gather thus, I have not grace in such a measure, and therefore I have none, I am not the Child of God.

What a rule is this? This is the errour of conscience: and therefore it must needs breed perplexitie of conscience. A good conscience when it is right cannot witnesse thus, because the Word doth not say thus. Is a nullitie, and an imperfection all one? No, there is much difference p. 232in the whole kind. A nullitie is nothing; an imperfection, though it be but a little degree, yet it is something. This is the errour of conscience, and from thence comes trouble of conscience which makes men reason ill many waies. As for instance, I have not so much grace as such a one hath, and therefore I have no grace. Now that is a false reasoning: for every one hath his due measure. If thou be not so great a rich man as the richest in the Towne, yet thou mayest be rich in thy kind.

Again, when conscience looks to the humour: you are to live by faith, and not by the humour of Melancholy. When the Instrument of reason that should judge is distempered by melancholy, it reasons from thence falsly. Because melancholy perswades me that I am so, therefore conscience being led by the humour of the body, saith I am so. Who bid thee live by humour? thou must live by rule. Melancholy may tell thee sometime when it is in strength, that thou art made of glasse, as it hath done some: it will deceive thee in bodily things, wherein sense can confute melancholy, much more will it if we yield to it in matters of the soule, it will perswade us that we are not the Children of God, that we have not Grace and goodnesse when we have.

Again, hence it is that conscience doth not conclude comfort in Gods Children, because it looks to the ill, and not to the good that is in them: for there are those two things in Gods Children, there is good, and ill, now in the time of temptation they look to the ill, and think they have no good, because they will not see any thing but ill. They fix their eyes on the remainders of their rebellious lusts (which are not fully subdued in them,) and they look wholly on them. Whereas they should have two eyes, one to look on that which is good, that God may have glorie, and they comfort.

Now they fixing their eyes altogether on that which is naught, and because they doe not, or will not see that which is good, therefore they have no comfort, because they suffer conscience to be ill led, that it doth not its duty.

And conscience in good men, it looks sometimes to that that it should not in others, in regard of others. It looks to the flourishing of wicked men, and therefore it concludes, Certainly I have washed my hands in vain, since such men thrive and prosper in the world, Psalme 37. and Psalme 73. VVho bade thee look to this, and to be uncomfortable from thence, that thy estate is not good, because it is not such an estate? So foolish, and as a beast was I before thee, saith David, because I regarded such things. No marvell if men be uncomfortable that are led away by scandals. Look to faith, goe to the Word, to the Sanctuarie; I went to the Sanctuary, saith he, and there I saw the end of these men. So conscience must be suffered to have its work, to be led by a true rule.

Again, conscience sometimes concludes not comfort, when there is ground of comfort, from the remainders of corruptions, and infirmities; whereas we should be driven by our infirmities to Christ. And conscisence sometimes in good men doth not exercise its work in good men, it is drawn away with vain delights, even in the best men.

And conscience of its owne unworthinesse and of the greatnesse of the things it lookes for being joyned together, it makes a man that he joyes not when he hath cause. As for instance, when the soule p. 233sees that God in Christ hath pardoned all my sins, and hath vouchsafed his Spirit to me, and will give me heaven in the world to come, to such a wretch as I am: here being a conflict between the conscience and sense of its own unworthinesse, and the greatnesse of … good promised, the heart begins to stagger, and to doubt for want of sound faith.

Indeed, if we look on our own unworthinesse, and the greatnesse of the good things promised we may wonder: but alas, God is infinite in goodnesse, he transcends our unworthinesse: and in the Gospell the glorie of Gods mercy it triumphs over our unworthinesse, and over our sins: whatsoever our sin and unworthinesse is, his goodnesse in the Gospel triumphs over all.

In Innocency God should have advanced an innocent man; but the Gospel is more glorious; for he comes to sinners, to condemned persons by nature, and yet God triumphs over their sins, and unworthinesse; he regards not what we deserve, but what may stand with the glory of his mercy; therefore we should banish those thoughts, and enjoy our own priviledge, the promises of heaven and happinesse and all comforts whatsoever; so much for the answer of that objection.

Now if we would joy in the witnesse of a good conscience, we must Directions to joy in the witness of conscience.especially in the time of temptation live by faith, and not by feeling, not by what we feele for the present; but as we see Christ in his greatest horrour, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? he goes to my God still. We must live by faith and not by sense.

And then if we would rejoyce in extremities, remember that God works by contraries. God will bring us to heaven, but it must be by hell. God will bring us to comfort, but it must be by sense of our own unworthinesse. He will forgive our sins, but it must be by sight and sense of our sins: he will bring us to life, but it must be by death; he will bring us to glorie, but it must be by shame, God works by contraries; therefore in contraries believe contraries. When we are in a state that hath no comfort, yet we may joy in it if we believe in Christ, he works by contraries.

As in the Creation he made all out of nothing, order out of confusion: So in the work of the new creation, in the new creature, he doth so likewise, therefore be not dismayed.

Remember this rule likewise, that in the covenant of Grace God requires truth, and not measure, (thou art not under the law, but under the covenant of Grace.) A little fire is true fire as well as the whole element of fire. A drop of water is water as well as the whole Ocean; so if it be true faith, true grief for sins, true hatred of them, true desire of the favour of God, and to grow better: truth is respected in the covenant of Grace, and not any set measure.

What saith the Covenant of Grace? He that believes, and repents shall be saved, not he that hath a strong faith, or he that hath perfect repentance. So Saint Paul saith (as we shall see after) This is our rejoycing, that in simplicity, and sincerity we have had our conversation among you; he doth not say, that our conversation hath been perfect. So if we would have joy in the testimony of conscience, we must not abridge our selves of joy, because we have not a perfect measure of Grace: but rejoyce that God hath wrought any measure of Grace in such unclean and polluted hearts as ours are: for he least measure of Grace is a pledge of perfection in the world to come.

p. 234This is our rejoycing, the testimony of our conscience, &c.

Hence we may gather clearly, that

A man may know his own estate in Grace.Obser. A man may know his estate in Grace.

I gather it from the place thus, Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, &c.

Where there is joy, and the ground of joy, there is a knowledge of the estate; but a Christian hath glorying, and a ground of glorying in himself, and he knowes it, he hath that in him that witnesseth that estate, he hath the witnesse of conscience, therefore he may know and be assured of it. If this testimony were not a true testimony it were something: but all men naturally have a conscience: and a Christian hath a sanctified conscience, and where that is there is a true testimony, and true joy from that testimony; therefore he may be assured of his salvation, and have true joy and comfort, a Heaven upon Earth before he come to Heaven it self.

If conscience testifie of it self, and from witnessing give cause of joy, much more the Spirit of God comming into the conscience, The Spirit beares witnesse with our spirits. If our spirit, and conscience bear witnesse to us of our conversation in simplicity, and sincerity, and from thence of our estate in grace, much more by the witnesse of two: By the witnesse of two, or three every thing shall be confirmed; but our spirits, and conscience, and the Spirit of God (which every Child of God hath) witnesseth that we are the Children of God, Rom. 8. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sons of God. Therefore a Christian may know his estate in Grace.

The spirit of a man knowes himself, and the Spirit of God knowes him likewise, and it knowes what is in the heart of God: and when these two meet, the Spirit of God that knowes the secrets of God, and that knowes our secrets, and our spirit that knowes our heart likewise, what should hinder but that we may know our own estate? It is the nature of conscience (as I told you) to reflect upon it self and upon the person in whom it is, to know what is known by it, and to judge, and condemne, and execute it self, by inward fear, and terrour, in ill, and in good, by comfort and joy in a mans self. It is the property that the soul hath above all creatures to return and recoyle upon it self. If this be naturall to man much more to the spirit of a man: For if a man know what is in himself naturally, his own wit, and understanding, which is alway with him, bred up with him, much more he knowes by his spirit the things that are adventitious, that come from without him, that is the work of Grace.

If a man by a reflect knowledge, know what naturally is in him, in what part he hath it, and how he exerciseth it; if he know and remember what he hath done, and the manner of it, whether well or ill, then he may know the work of the Spirit that comes from without him, that works a change in him.

We say of light, that it discovers it self and all other things: so the soule it is lightsome, and therefore knowes it self and knowes other things.

The Spirit of God is much more lightsome: where it is it discovers it self, and lighteneth the soule, it discovereth the party in whom it is. As the Apostle saith, 1, Cor. 2. 12. We have the Spirit, whereby we know the p. 235things that we receive of God. It not onelyonly worketh in us, but it teacheth us what it hath wrought. Therefore a Christian knowes that he is in the state of grace, he knowes his virtues, and his disposition; except it be in the time of temptation, and upon those grounds named before.

Therefore we should labour to know our estate, to examine our selves whether we be in the faith or no, except we be reprobates, and cast awayes, as the Apostle speakes. A Christan should aime at this, to understand his own estate in grace upon good grounds.

But it may be objected: how can we know our estate in Grace, Object.our virtues are so imperfect, our abilities are so weak and feeble?

I answer, the ground of judging aright of our estate, it is not worthiness or perfection, but sincerity. We must not look for perfection: For that Answer.makes the Papists to teach that there may be doubting, because they look to false grounds: but we must look to the ground in the covenant of grace, to grace it self, and not to the measure. Where there is truth and sincerity, there is the condition of the covenant of grace, and there is a ground for a man to build his estate in grace on.

The perfect righteousnesse of Christ is that, that gives us title to heaven: but to know that we have right in that title, is the simplicity, and sincerity in our walking, in our conversation, as the Apostle saith here, This is our reoycing, &c. Therefore Christians, when they are set upon by temptations of their own misdoubting hearts, and by Satan they must not go to the great measure of grace that is in others, that they have not so much as others, and therefore they have none; nor to the great measure of grace that they want themselves, but to the truth of their grace, the truth of their desires and endeavours, the truth of their affections. Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren.

This should stir us up to have a good conscience, that we may rejoyce. Why should we labour that we may rejoyce? Why? what is our life Use. To labour for a good conscience that we may have joy.without joy? and what is joy without a good conscience?

What is our life with out joy? without joy we can do nothing, we are like an instrument out of tune; an instrument out of tune it yiels but harsh musick. Without joy we are as a member out of joynt: we can do nothing well without joy, and a good conscience, which is the ground of joy. A man without joy is a palsie-member that moves it self unfitly, and uncomely, he goes not about things as he should,. A good conscience breeds joy and comfort, it inables a man to do all things comely in the sight of God, and comfortably to himself, it makes him go chearfully through his businesse. A good Conscience is a continuall feast: without joy we cannot suffer afflictions; we cannot die well without it. Simeon died comfortably, because he died in peace, when he had imbraced Christ in his heart, and in his armes. Without joy and the ground of joy we can neither do nor suffer any thing. Therefore in Psalme. 51. David when he had lost the peace and comfort of a good conscience, he prayes for the free Spirit of God. Alas, till God had enlarged his heart with the sense of a good conscience in the pardon of his sins, and given him the power of his Spirit to lead a better life for the time to come, his spirit was not free before: he could not praise God with a large spirit; he wanted freedom of spirit, his conscience was p. 236bound, his lips were sealed up, Open my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. His heart was bound, and therefore he prayes to have it inlarged. Restore to me thy joy and salvation, intimating that we cannot have a free spirit without joy, and we cannot have joy without a good conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ, in the pardon of our sins.

If it be so, that we cannot do any thing, nor suffer any thing as we should, that we cannot praise God, that we cannot live nor die without joy, and the ground of it the testimony of a good conscience: let us labour then that conscience may witnesse well unto us.

Especially considering that an ill conscience, it is the worst thing in the world; there is no friend so good as a good conscience, there is no foe so Nothing worse then an ill conscience.ill as a bad conscience; it makes us either Kings or slaves. A man that hath a good conscience that witnesseth well for him, it raiseth his heart in a Princely manner above all things in the world: a man that hath a bad conscience, though he be a Monarch it makes him a slave: a bad conscience imbitters all things in the world to him, though they be never so comfortable in themselves. What is so comfortable as the presence of God? What is so comfortable as the light? yet a bad conscience that will not be ruled, it hates the light, and hates the presence of God, as we see Adam, when he had sinned he fled from God.

A bad conscience cannot joy in the middest of joy, it is like a goutie foot, or a goutie toe covered with a velvet shoe: alas, what doth it ease it? what doth glorious apparel ease the diseased body? nothing at all, the ill is within, there the arrow sticks.

And so in the comforts of the Word, if the conscience be bad, we that are the messengers of comfort we may apply comfort to you: but if there be one within that saith thus, it is true: but I regarded not the Word before, I regarded not the checks of conscience, conscience will speak more terrour then we can speak peace. And after long and wilful rebellion conscience will admit of no comfort for the most part. Regard it therefore in time: labour in time that it may witnesse well. An ill conscience when it should be most comforted then it is most terrible; at the hour of death we should have most comfort, (if we had any wisdom) when earthly comforts shall be taken from us, and at the day of judgment: then an ill conscience, look where it will it hath matter of terrour. If it look up, there is the Judge armed with vengeance; if it look beneath, there is hell ready to swallow it; if it look on the one side, there is the divell accusing, and helping conscience; if it look round about, there is heaven, and earth, and all on a fire, and within there is a hell: where shall the sinner, and ungodly appear? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly appear, at that time?

O let us labour to have a good conscience, and to exercise the reflect power of conscience in this world, that is, let us examine our selves, admonish our selves, judge our selves, condemn our selves, do all in our selves. Let us keep court at home first, let us keep the assizes there, and then we shall have comfort at the great assizes.

Therefore God out of his love hath put conscience into the soule, that we might keep a court at home. Let conscience therefore do its worst now, let it accuse, let it judge: and when it hath judged, let it smite us, and do execution upon us, that having judged our selves we may not be condemned with the world.

p. 237If we suffer not conscience to have its full work now, it will have it one day: a sleepy conscience will not alway sleep; if we do not suffer conscience to awake here, it will awaken in hell where there is no remedy.

Therefore give conscience leave to speak what it will; perhaps it will tell thee a tale in thine ear, which thou wouldest be loath to hear: it will pursue thee with terrours like a blood-hound, and will not suffer thee to rest: therefore as a bankrupt thou art loath to look in thy books, because there is nothing but matter of terrour. This is but a folly, for at the last conscience will do its duty; it will awaken either here, or in hell. Therefore we are to hope the best of them that have their consciences opened here, there is hope that they will make their peace with God: that they will agree with their adversary while they are in the way. If thou suffer conscience to be sleepy and drowsie till it be awaked in hell, wo unto thee: for then thy estate is determined of, it will be a barren repentance. Now thy repentance may be fruitful, it may force theeto make thy peace with God: dost thou think it will alway be thus with thee? Thou besottest thy conscience with sensualitie, and sayest, Go thy way, and come another time, as he said to St. Paul: I will tell thee, this peace will prove a tempest in the end.

Conscience of all things in the world deserves the greatest reverence; more then any Monarch in the world: for it is above all men, it is next unto God: and yet what do many men? regard the honour … their friends more then conscience, that inward friend that shall accompany them to heaven, that will go with them to death, and to judgement, and make them lift up their heads with joy when other friends cannot help them, but must needs leave them in death. Now for a man to follow the humours of men, to follow the multitude, and to stain conscience, what a foolish wretch is he? though such men think themselves never so wise, it is the greatest folly in the world to stain conscience to please any man, because conscience is above all men.

Again, those that follow their own humours, their own dispositions, and are carried away with their own lusts, it is a folly and madnesse: for the time will come, that that which their covetous base lust hath carried them to, that shall be taken away, as honours, riches, pleasures, which is the fuel of that lust, which makes them now neglect conscience, all shall be taken away in sicknesse, or in the time of despair when conscience shall be awaked. Now what folly is it to please thy own lust which thou should'st mortifie, and subdue, and to displease conscience thy best friend? and then when thy lust is fully satisfied, all that hath been fuel to it, that hath fed it, shall be taken away at the hour of death, or some special judgement, and conscience shall be awaked, and shall torment thee, for giving liberty to thy base lusts, and to thy self. And those eyes of thy soul that thy offence delighted to shut up, there shall some punishment come either in this life, or in that to come that shall open those eyes. As Adams eyes were opened after his sin; why? were they not open before? he had such a strong desire to the apple, he did not regard them; but his punishment afterward opened those eyes, which his inordinate desire shut. So it shall be with every sinner: therefore regard no man in the world more then thy conscience. Regard nothing, no pleasure, no profit, more then conscience, reverence it more then any thing in the world. Happie is that man that carries with him a good conscience that can witnesse that he hath said, p. 238nor done nothing that may vex, or grieve conscience: if it be otherwise, whatsoever a man gains, he loseth in conscience, and there is no comparison between those two. One crack, one flaw in conscience will prove more disadvantagious, then the rest will be profitable. Thou must cast up the rest again, they are sweet bits downward, but they shall be gravel in the belly.

We think, when we have gained any thing, when we have done any thing, we shall hear no more of it, as David said to Joab, when he set him to make away Uriah, Let not this trouble thee: So let not this ill gain, let not this ill speech, or this ill carriage trouble thee, thou shalt hear no more of this. We take order to stop and silence conscience, thinking never to hear more of it: oh, but remember, conscience will have its work, and the longer we defer the witnesse and work of conscience, the more it will terrifie and accuse us afterward.

Therefore of all men (be they never so great) they are most miserable that follow their wills and their lusts most, that never have any outward check, or inward check of conscience, but drown it with sensual pleasures. As Charles the 9^th. who at night (when conscience hath the fittest time to work, a man being retired, then he) would have his singing boyes, after he had betreyed them in that horrible Massacre, after which he never had peace and quiet. And as Saul sent for Davids Harpe when the evil spirit was upon him. So wicked men they look for forreign helps, but it will not be: for the greatest men with their forreign helps are most miserable.

The reason is, because the more they sink in rebellion, and sin against conscience, the more they sink in terrours: it shall be the greatest torment to those that have had their wills most in the world, the more their conscience is silenced and violenced in this world, the more vocal it shall be at the hour of death, and the day of judgement. Therefore judge who are the most miserable men in the world, (although they have never so much regard in the world besides) those that have consciences, but will not suffer them to work; but with sensuality within them, and by pleasing flattering speech of those without them, they keep it down, and take order that neither conscience within, nor none other without shall disturbe them; if they do, they shall be served as Ahab dealt with Micaia. These men that are thus at peace in sinful courses, of all men they are most miserable: they enjoy their pleasure here for a little time, but their conscience shall torment them for ever, and shall say to them as Reuben said to his Brethren. I told you this before, but you would not hearken to me, and now you shall be tormented.

Conscience is an evil beast, it makes a man rise against himself: therefore of all men, those that be disordered in their courses, that neglect conscience, and neglect the means of salvation, that should awaken conscience, they are the most miserable: for the longer they go on, the more they sink in sin, and the more they sink in sin, the more they sink in terrour of conscience, if not now, yet they shall hereafter.

If we desire therefore to have joy and comfort at all times, let us labour to have a good conscience that may witnesse well: And therefore let us every day keep an audite within doors; every day cast up our accounts, every day draw the blood of Christ over our accounts, every day beg forgivenesse of sins, and the Spirit of Christ to lead us, that so we may keep p. 239account every day, that we may make our reckonings even every day, that we may have the lesse to do in the time of sicknesse, in the time of temptation, and in the time of death, when we have discharged our Consciences before by keeping session at home in our own hearts.

This should be the daily practice of a Christian, and then he may lay himself down in peace.

He that sleeps with a conscience defiled, is as he that sleeps among wild beasts, among adders, and toades, that if his eyes were open to see them, he would be out of his wits. He that sleeps without a good conscience he is an unadvised man, God may make his bed his grave, he may smite him suddenly; therefore let us every day labour to have a good conscience, that so we may have matter of perpetual joy.

A good conscience (especially) is an Evangelicall conscience: for a legall good conscience none have, that is, such a conscience as acquits a man that he hath obeyed the law in all things exactly. A legall compleat good conscience none have, except in some particular fact: there is a good Conscience in fact. As the Heathen could excuse themselves, they were Evangelical conscience▪thus, and thus: and God ministreth much joy in that. But an Evangelical good Conscience is that we must trust to, that is, such a Conscience, that though it knowes it self guilty of sin, yet it knowes that Christ hath shed his blood for sinners: and such a Conscience as by meanes of faith is sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and is cleared from the accusations of sin.

There is an Evangelicall Conscience, when by faith wrought by the Spirit of God, in the hearing of the Gospell, we lay hold upon the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ. And such is the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ, that it pacifieth the conscience which nothing else in the world will doe; the conscience without a full obedience it will alway stagger.

And that is the reason that Conscience confounds and confutes the Popish way of salvation by works, &c. Because the conscience alway staggers, and feares, I have not done works enough, I have not done them well enough: those that I have done they have been corrupt, and mixed, and therefore I dare not bring them to the Judgement-seat of God, to plead them meritorious. Therefore they do well to hold uncertainty of salvation; because holding merit they must needs be uncertaiu of their salvation. A true Christian is certain of his salvation, because his conscience layes hold on the blood of Christ; because the obedience whereby he claimes heaven is a superabundant obedience, it is the satisfaction of Christ; as the Apostle saith in that excellent place, Heb. 9. 24. The blood of Christ which offered himself by the eternall Spirit, that is, by the God-head, shall cleanse your consciences from dead works to serve the living God. The blood of Christ that offered himself, his humane nature by his divine, to God as a sacrifice, it shall purge your consciences from dead works. The blood of Christ, that is, the Sacrifice, the obedience of Christ, in offering himself, fully pacified God, and answered the punishment which we should have indured: for he was our surety. The blood of Christ speaks better then the blood of Abel. It speaks better then our sins. Our sins cry vengeance, but the blood of Christ cries mercy.