Conscience the Best Friend Upon Earth, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
JOB 27. 6.
My Righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my Heart shall not reproaoh me so long as I live.
THis was Jobs Resolution, why should it not be ours? Those that have felt the Reproaches of Conscience once, would be loth to feel them a second time. The very bruit Beasts; when once they have been either in the mire, or in the fire, will take heed how they come there again. You can hardly force them into a Bog wherein they have been mired, they will turn this way, and that way, and run back again upon you, rather then run into the mire wherein they have been already. A wounded Conscience who can bear? They that have felt that wound, and have gotten it heal'd, will take heed how they make another.
The Proposition I gave you was this; It should be our greatest care so to live, that our Consciences may have no occasion to accuse or reproach us while we live. Some do so live that their neighbours can have no occasion to reproach them; some there are that so live, that the very worst have a good word for them, I have known some that have been so unblamable, of such a sweet disposition, so kind and courteous to all, and have lived so inoffensively, that the worst have had a good word for them. But where are they that have or do carry themselves so, that their Consciences have no occasision to accuse them, or to reproach them? Commend me to that person if you can. I have already shewed you what Conscience is, and about what it is imployed, and how it is imployed.
I come now to the Proof of the Doctrine. This was Jobs care you see; he was resolved upon it, that he would so walk and so watch that Conscience might have no occasion to reproach him. And hath Job no Fellows? yes many; the Scripture speaketh of such as have made it their care so to walk, that Conscience might have no just occasion to reproach them. David was one of them, as appears by what he saith Ps. 16. 8. Ps. 119. 3, 112, 113. although there was a time when he gave Conscience too great occasion to reproach him, and his Conscience did reproach him to purpose at last. Ah poor David! what broken bones had he? This was Hezekiah's care, else he could not have had the testimony of his Conscience for him as he had. Remember (saith he, Isa. 38. 3.) O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. Perfect heart, that is, an upright heart; perfection, not of degrees, but of parts, is there to be understood. There are many such other places in Scripture, as in the Book of Psalms, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; where you find one word to explaine the other. This also was Pauls care, else could not he have had the testimony of his Conscience as he had. This is our rejoycing, (saith he) the testimony of our Conscience, &c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. it was Pauls exercise, Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self, to have always a Conscience, void of offence, toward God and toward Man.
Reason I.
The grounds and Reasons of it follow. One reason why we should take all possible care that Conscience may have no occasion to reproach us is, because if occasion be given; these reproaches are unavoidable; I say, these Reproaches, Vexations, and Accusations of Conscience wil be unavoidable there is no escaping from them: we may give occasion to others, and possibly there may be some avoiding that which we give occasion of; but here is no avoiding or escaping in this case. Conscience may be asleep, and Conscience may say nothing a great while, but at last it will awake and do it's office, in accusing and in judging, condemning and tormenting. David's Conscience was asleep for a great while, but afterwards Nathan cometh to him from the Lord, and rouzeth Conscience, and then Conscience set most violently upon him; as appears by the Ps. 51. where he complaineth of broken bones, and prayeth that the bones which were broken might rejoyce. So Joseph's Brethren, they heard nothing of Conscience a great while, but at last Conscience twinges them, at last Conscience put out his envenomed sting; (no such sting as the sting of Conscience) at last Conscience taketh them by the throat, Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning [the Blood of] our Brother, &c. though men do with the Harlot for a great while wipe their mouths, and say, What evil have we done? As Joseph's Brethren, they sold their Brother Joseph; Conscience said never a word to them, let them alone a great while: they came and told their Father a lie, and Conscience said never a word to them, when they told their Father that Joseph was slain; they saw their Father Mourning as if he were going down into the Grave, Conscience saith nothing all the while: a Famine cometh upon the Land, Conscience yet saith nothing to them: at last they come down into Egypt, there they meet with hard usage, and are in danger of imprisonment. Now Conscience beginneth to rouze up itself like a Lyon, to tear and devour; then they cry out, Verily we are guilty concerning the blood of our Brother. You see Conscience had an awakening time, though it had been asleep; the Morning came for its awakening. So Judas his Conscience was asleep for a great while; and one would wonder that it should ever be so fast asleep as was. Mat. 26. 15. you may read there some passages of it. He goeth to the Chief Priests and maketh a Bargain; What will you give me, and I will deliver Jesus to you? and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of Silver: there he maketh a bargain for a little Silver to sell his Lord and Master, and to betray the innocent blood: Conscience saith never a word to him. Further, he sought for opportunity to betray Christ, yet Conscience saith nothing to him, v. 21. when he was come into the presence of his Master, he came with the Disciples to the Passover, yet Conscience saith nothing to him all the while: when he was at the Passover and eating, Christ telleth his Disciples that one of them should betray him, yet Judas's Conscience saith never a word to him, but letteth him alone all this while. Nay further, when the Disciples at these words were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say every one of them, Lord, is it I? yet Judas's Conscience saith nothing to him. And Christ said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me: yet his Conscience was asleep all this while. Further, ver. 24. Christ pronounceth a Wo to that man by whom he should be betrayed; yet the denunciation of that Wo did not awaken Judas's Conscience; Wo to him; it had been good for that man he had never been born. It is matter of admiration and amazement, that his Conscience should be so fast asleep; the Devil entred into him, and rocked Conscience asleep, till he might be sure to do him mischeif enough; ver. 25. Then Judas, which betrayed him, put the question and said, Master, is it I? Methinks his Conscience should have flown in his face like a Mastiff. Nay further, saith Christ, Thou hast said; thou art the man: and yet for all this Judas's Conscience was not awake. This is indeed matter of admiration, that a mans Conscience should be so fast asleep. But how many Instances of such sleepy Consciences doth this very age afford? But doth Judas's Conscience sleep always? No. Then Judas, which betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, he brought again the 30 pieces of Silver to the Chief Priests and said, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed Innocent blood. But miserable comforters were those Christ-Buyers, they bought him to be crucified; they did reply to him when he said, I have sinned; What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the thirty pieces of Silver in the Temple, and went and hanged himself. And now his Conscience was so awake that it would not suffer him to live. I assure you howsoever Conscience may be asleep for a great while, yet the time will come that Conscience will do it's office; and therefore it doth greatly concern us to take great care that Conscience may have no occasion to reproach us. O happy Judas if thou hadst never made a bargain to sell thy Master, and hadst never sought opportunity to betray him! O happy, if thou hadst never accompanyed the Band of Souldiers, that came to apprehend him! But he came along with the Band of Souldiers, and gave them the Sign, The Man whom I shall kiss is the Man, hold him fast: yet Conscience did not reproach him. But let Men do what they can to stop the mouth of Conscience, it will speak at last and they will be biting words. Carnal Reasonings cannot stop it, Carnal Pleasures cannot bribe it, nor any variety of diversions silence it. Cain, you know, he was quiet awhile, Gen▪ 4. 13. But after a while Cain's Conscience did reproach him, would not let him alone. Belshazzar, he is merry a while with his Courtiers and Companions in drinking Wine in Bowls, but after he falls a trembling, and his knees smote one against the other, and he grew pale when he saw the hand writing on the wall. Conscience will fee an hand writing not on the wall, but in this book. I have spoken with some poor Souls, that could say, This word is against me, and that word is against me; there are words enough in this Book against you. Conscience will one day awake and reproach, and will not be bribed, will not have its mouth stopt. This is one great reason why we should be careful so to live, that Conscience may not reproach us while we live, for the reproches of Conscience are unavoidable.
Reason II.
Another reason why we should take all possible care that▪ Conscience may have no occasion to reproach us, is because the reproaches of Conscience are Intolerable, there will be no bearing of them. A wounded Spirit who can bear? None are able to bear it. Many instances might be given; you may read Job 7. 13, 14, 15. When I say, my bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; then thou scarest me with dreams, and terri…iest me with visions, so that my soul chuseth strangling, and death rather then life. Oh Sirs, what a case will the terrours and accusations of Conscience bring the poor creature into? Job 10. 1. My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon my self, &c. Psalm 32. 3, 4. When I kept silence my bones-waxed old through my roaring all the day, &c. All this was occasioned through the reproaches of Conscience. I might add, Prov. 12. 25. Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh a man to stoop. I have known those that have been bowed together by reason of the agonies of Conscience. I knew one, at whose Eyes and Ears Bloud hath gushed forth by reason of the Agonies of Conscience. Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. You know Judas did chuse rather to die than endure it. Bilney and Baynham (after they had abjured) felt such pangs, such a Hell in their Consciences, till they had openly professed their sorrow for it, as they would not have felt again for all the World. Daniel chose rather to be cast into the Lions Den, then to carry a Lion in his bosom, viz. an enraged Conscience. Richard the Third was a terror to himself after he had murdered his two innocent Nephews. Charles the Ninth of Fran…e, after that bloudy Massacre by which his Conscienc was enraged, could not endure to be awakened in the night, without Musick or some other diversion. Thus much for the Reasons of the Point: I proceed to the
Application.
Vse 1. Of Reproof. The first Use shall be for Reproof of those that take no such care to avoid the Reproaches of Conscience, but do that which will be cast by Conscience as a Reproach upon them another day. How do some for many years together heap up Fuel to keep a Fire burning within them? No sooner is some Fuel spent, but there is more Fuel heapt on again; fresh sins are committed, and after a while these sins come to remembrance, and set the Fire a burning. It may be a man may weather it out a little, but then more sins come to light, and that sets the Fire a burning again, and so there is no end. Conscience hath not forgotten any thing done many years ago, but remembers it as if it had been done but yesterday. You that cannot endure to be reproached, that cannot endure to hear others reproached, that cannot bear the Reproaches of Men, whenas it may be they reproach wrongfully; how will you bear (not the false, but) true Accusations of Conscience? Men may reproach falsly, but Conscience will reproach truly. Men may reproach thee, and yet thine own Conscience may clear thee when they accuse thee; but if Conscience reproach thee, then who shall clear thee? Men may grow weary or ashamed of reproaching thee, but if Conscience reproach thee, will that grow weary or ashamed? No, never. If some men reproach us, others may clear us; but if Conscience reproach us, who then can clear us? This should humble us, that we have given Conscience occasion to reproach us. 2 Sam. 24. 1. If you have not taken this care to avoid the Reproaches of Conscience, it will reproach you as it did David, whose Heart smote him after he had numbered the People: and David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done; I beseech thee (O Lord) to take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly. Davids Heart smote him, now his Conscience, now his Conscience, smites and cuts him to the very Heart. Though his Conscience were quiet a great while, Psal. 73. 21, 22. yet afterwards he thus complains; Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins: so foolish was I and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. If you neglect Conscience when it points with the finger, and gives direction; assure your selves, Conscience will have a time to smite with the fift, and to give correction, and then there will be no enduring of it: as it was with David when his Heart smote him, Psal. 69. 7. If shame covered Davids Face when men reproached him, Oh what shame will cover our Faces when Conscience shall reproach us! Reproach hath broken my heart, (saith he) and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. Ver. 20. This will be your case and your complaint when Conscience shall reproach you. Reproach hath broken my heart. They gave me Gall for meat, and Vinegar to drink; saith he, Ver. 21. Conscience will give Gall and Vinegar to us, unless some course be taken for the quieting of it; if you make it not your care so to live, that Conscience may not reproach you. To be able to say, For Gods sake I have born reproach, Psal. 69. 7. will be a comfort: but if for our Lusts sake we bear reproach, what a Torment will that be? When Conscience shall say, This is for the sake of that proud Lust, this is for the sake of that drunken Lust, that wanton Lust of thine; this is for that Passion of thine, that froward and fretful Spirit of thine: when Conscience shall say, This is for the sake of such a Lust which thou didst indulge, and kept as a sweet morsel under thy tongue, notwithstanding the persuasions of all Gods Ministers to the contrary; how wilt thou be able to bear it?
Vse 2. Of Exhortation. Take care that Conscience may not have occasion to reproach you while you live. The Reasons before mentioned may serve as Motives. The unavoidableness and intolerableness of these reproaches of Conscience, these are Motives enough to engage us to take all care that Conscience may not reproach us. Let it be your care to have a Conscience void of offence, (Prov. 15. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 12.) and then Conscience instead of accusing will excuse, instead of condemning it will acquit you. If you hearken to the voice of Conscience informed and guided by the Word of God, it will be a continual feast unto you, Prov. 15. 15. and your daily rejoycing. This is our rejoycing, (saith the Apostle) the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. When a man hath Conscience on his side, this will be a Cordial in any condition whatsoever, in a Prison, a Cordial in a Dungeon, a Cordial in a strange Country, and a Cordial in the worst of sufferings that we … meet with. Keep Conscience void of offence, and so live that Conscience may not reproach you, and all will be well. How may we so live, you will say, that Conscience may not reproach us while we live? or if we have so lived, that Conscience hath had cause to reproach us, how may we get those reproaches wiped off, and get Conscience quiet again? That I shall reserve for another opportunity.