A Good Conscience the Strongest Hold, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of the ſuffering Conſcience.
THe laſt conſcience we ſpoke of, was the Of the Paſſive and ſuffering Conſcience.Tender Conſcience, here we are to ſpeak of another Conſcience as good as that, but quite of a different nature, that is, the Paſſive and hardy Conſcience, which is to admit of no fear, timorouſneſs, or tenderneſs at all in it, as to ſuffering; as the former was not to allow of any patience, or boldneſſe at all, as to ſinning. Yet are they not ſo oppoſite neither as they may ſeem to be, but both are to be found in the ſame perſons; gracious diſpoſitions alway agreeing together, and one helping and increaſing another: The more of that Tenderneſs we ſpoke of in the laſt Chapter, the more of this Paſsiveneſs if need be will be found, of which we ſpeak here; yea, this hardineſs proceeds from that tenderneſs, and is inſeparable from it, therefore it is fitly handled next to it. For as there is a bad, baſe, and ſinfull tenderneſs, that proceeds from as ſinfull a hardneſs, or hardneſs, ſo is there a holy and honourable hardneſs, that proceeds from the beſt tenderneſs. There is a childiſh ſoftneſs, and effeminate tenderneſs of face and fleſh, which comes from hardneſs of heart; and there is again, a gallant and reſolute hardneſs of face and back, as unto men, to indure all kinds of pains and tortures, which comes from reall tenderneſs of heart and conſcience before God.
Good Conſcience then muſt not be bred ſo daintily, and kept ſo tenderly, but that it may digeſt the worlds hardeſt uſage, and courſeſt fare; it muſt be Patiens famis & frigoris, enſis & ignis, Patient to all ſufferings, impatient onelyonly of ſin. This puts within a man a heart of adamant, and upon a man a face of braſs or flint: He is not daſhed out of countenance with the fiery countenance of inraged Tyrants, nor made to tremble at the ſight of a ſeven-times-heated fiery furnace. We are not carefull to anſwer thee, O King, in this matter.
This is that Conſcience which St. Peter ſo highly commendeth, 1 Peter 2. 19. This is thank-worthy, ſaith he; if a man for conſcience toward God indure grief, ſuffering wrongfully. You have not ſuch an expreſſion in all the Bible again, that any thing ſhould be thank-worthy with God; for our Saviour ſaith, Luke 17. 9, 10. Doth any Maſter thank his Servant, when he doth what he commands, I trow not? So nor can we expect thanks, but when we have done all, we are, to ſay, unprofitable ſervants, we have but done out duty. But here St. Peter, ver. 19. ſaith, This is thank-worthy, &c. and repeateth it again, ver. 20. If ye do well, and ſuffer patiently, this is acceptable or thank-worthy with God.
This is a mighty honour put upon this Conſcience, we muſt therefore get it. Know that all is nothing if this be wanting, Not thy Conſcience of faith, puritie and ſinceritie, not thy Quick-ſighted, well-ſpoken, well-doing, not thy Inoffenſive or Tender Conſcience, if thou have not alſo this Propertie, All is not worth a Thank. As all thou canſt do is not worth a Thank, if not for Conſcience ſake; ſo it ſeems Conſcience it ſelf is not worth a Thank if not for ſuffering ſake.
This did commend the Chriſtians in old times, they had learned to ſuffer as much for Religion, as we to diſpute for it, or rather againſt it. They could be content to be bound, that Truth might be at libertie; and to die, that Religion might not die; and they choſe rather to ſuffer for the Goſpel, then that the Goſpel ſhould ſuffer through them; They were more willing that Religion ſhould live upon them, and their ruines, then we are to live upon Religion, and its ruine now adaies. Any thing was eaſie for them to ſuffer for Conſcience, onelyonly one thing they could not endure, viz. to ſuffer in, and from Conſcience. And here might I write a whole Volume of the ſufferings of Primitive, and later times, or tranſcribe many large Volumes of Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtories, treating of this ſubject in their Martyrologies. They were deprived of States, degraded of Offices, yet did bear it; they were impriſoned; they were exiled, yet did endure it; they were ſlain, racked, tortured, yet did they ſuffer it. Some were hanged, ſome headed, ſome were burned, ſome drowned, ſome devoured of wilde beaſts, ſome pull'd in pieces by men more ſavage then beaſts, yet they did all bear it, and rejoyced they ſuffered for Conſcience, and for God. Attalus and Alexander were twice bayted with wilde beaſts, to be torn in pieces Eccl. Hiſt. l. 5. cap. 1.by them, (as Euſebius reports) Attalus eſcaping the beaſts, was reſerved to other torments, to be burnt to death in an iron chair, heated red-fire-hot, yet did hee bear all. Macedonius, Theodulus, and Tatianus laid Socrat. hiſt. l. 3. cap. 13.upon a Gredyron, and broiled to death; yet did they bear it. Marcus Arethuſius was ſtripped naked, then had his bodie all over daubed with Broth, Butter, and Honey, then hung up in a Cage in the hot ſcorching Sun, to be eaten up with flies, and ſtung to death with waſps, yet did he ſuffer all rather then give one half-peny to re-edifie that Idol Temple in his dioceſs, which he had formerly plucked down. To be eaten up with flies, and ſtung with waſps he did account farre more deſirable, that he might preſerve his Theodoret. Lib. 3. cap. 6.Conſcience in Puritie and Peace, then to bee eaten up of horrour, and ſtung with Hornets, if to preſerve his life, he had delivered up his Conſcience. There were many Chriſtians together ſtopt up in Lakes, or Caves artificially made cloſe, which Lakes, or Ditches were filled with a companie of Dormiſe, kept hungrie to gnaw and feed upon the poor Chriſtians, they all the while bound hand and foot, that they could not keep off thoſe hunger-ſtarved creatures, which were kept Mag. Cent. 4. cap. 3. Ex Theodoreto.without meat alſo purpoſely, that they might faſten upon the bodies of thoſe godly men; which lingring and miſerable death they under-went, yet was not their faith and patience at all born down, ſaith the Hiſtorian. They choſe much rather to lie in ſuch a Lake artificially ſtopt, and to be eaten up alive with thoſe Vermin, their Conſcience being preſerved, then to yeeld up this Fort of Conſcience for fear of any earthly torments, to be eaten up while alive with guilt and horrour of Conſcience. And when dead, to be bound hand and foot, and caſt into an infernal Lake of fire and brimſtone, eternally ſtopt up, there to be converſant with filthy ſpirits, and to be eaten up with thoſe helliſh furies.
Yea, to make an end, for it is impoſſible to mention all, Lactantius ſaith not onelyonly the men among the Cbriſtians, and thoſe of ſtronger years and hearts, but even our women, and little children (ſaith he) have Latrones, & robuſti corporis viri ejuſmodi lacerationes perferre nequeunt, exclamant, & gemitus edunt; Noſtri autem (ut de viris taceam) pueri, & mulierculae tortores ſuos taciti vincunt, & expromere illis gemitum necignis poteſt Lact. 1. 5. cap. 13.endured all torments, and been too hard for their Tormentors; no rack, no fire could fetch ſo much as a groan from them: which the ſtouteſt Theeves and Malefactors among their Perſecutors could not undergo, but they would roare and crie out through impatience, and diſabilitie to endure them.
But how little of this good Conſcience is to be found now adaies, when Chriſt ſaith, Who is on my ſide? who? Our times have brought forth many a degenerate Chriſtian, ſilken and ſatten Chriſtians, Chriſtians for the right hand and the left, if Chriſt have any Kingdoms, Mannours, or Honours to beſtow: But if a Croſs, they all forſake him, and fly, and ſhift for themſelves, as the terrified Diſciples did the night of his Paſſion. Luther call's ſome of the Divines of his Time Theologos Gloriae, they would not ſuffer. Some faithfull Ones were called Theologi Crucis, ſo have we many Saints now adaies, who are rather Triumphant Saints, then Saints militant. Well, we know who hath ſaid, He that is aſhamed of me, I ſhall one day be aſhamed of him; he that loveth his life, ſhall loſe Mar. 8. 38.it; but he that loſeth his life for my ſake, ſhall finde it.Joh. 12. 25.
There is no condition, or ſort of men, have in Scripture more abundant, and more excellent Promiſes then theſe that ſuffer; And none in Scripture have more Cautions, and Rules given, then thoſe ſet down to regulate and circumſcribe our ſufferings: for all that ſuffer cannot ſay they ſuffer for Conſcience, and for God: and then what thank can they exſpect from God, if they ſuffer for their own default, they muſt (as we ſay) thank themſelves.
There be four kindes of ſufferings which a Four ill kindes of ſufferings.good Conſcience can have no comfort in, therefore muſt ſeek to avoid.
1. That we put not our ſelves upon Ʋoluntarie and Arbitrarie ſuffrings, and place Religion and Conſcience in it when we have done; thus did the Baaliſts of old, who did cur, and lance themſelves that the bloud followed. 1 Ki. 18. 28.Thus do the blinde Papiſts at this day Pennance, and Diſcipline themſelves out of a ſuperſtitious opinion of merit, or ſatiſfaction; but they have no thank of God, becauſe though it may proceed from ſome kinde of Conſcience, yet it is a blinded and deluded Conſcience, not that Conſcience towards God (which Peter ſpake of.) Therefore 2 Pet. 2. 19.God will ſay to them, Who required this at your hands? Iſai. 1. 12. And as to them who offered their ſons and daughters to Moloch, It never came into my heart, neither did I command them, ſaith the Lord, Jer. 7. 31. Theſe things have indeed a ſhew of wiſdom in will-worſhip, and humilitie, and neglecting of the Col. 2. ult.bodie, not in any honour to the ſatisfying of the fleſh. But theſe are not the ſufferings of Chriſtians, nor can theſe ſay, They bear theſe as the marks of the Lord Jeſus in their bodies. Gal. 6. 17.
2. That we pull not upon our ſelves Ʋnneceſſarie and unwarrantable ſufferings by a prepoſterous and precipitate intermedling in buſineſſes out of our way and calling: This is to ſuffer as buſie-bodies in other mens matters. But that in the Apoſtles Language is clean another thing then to ſuffer as a Chriſtian, therefore he doth oppoſe them, and is all one as to ſuffer as an evil doer, therefore they are joyned together 1 Pet. 4. 15, 16.
3. That we pull not upon our ſelves Neceſſarie, but deſerved evil ſufferings from the hand of Juſtice, for our evil doings. Theſe may ſay with the Thief ſuffering with Chriſt, we have the ſame Croſſes that he, but we have not the ſame Titles written on our Croſſes. We ſuffer juſtly the deſerts of our ill deeds, He hath done nothing amiſs. Theſe like Luk. 23. 41.Zimri are burnt with the fire which their 1 Ki. 16. 18own hands have kindled.
4. Laſt of all, that we bring not our ſelves under worſe ſufferings then any of the former, viz. ſufferings in Conſcience, and from Conſcience, by ſhunning any other ſufferings for God and Conſcience; as Judas and Spira, who becauſe they could not ſuffer outwardly, now ſuffer inwardly; they ſuffer dreadfully from God, and from Conſcience, becauſe they would not once ſuffer Honourably for God, and for Conſcience; theſe finde God departed from them in anger, becauſe they departed from him in baſe fear; theſe want now the Peace of God, and the Peace of Conſcience, by ſeeking to buy at too high a rate the peace of the world. They would have ſaved themſelves, but they have loſt themſelves. Theſe are the greateſt ſufferers, and Loſers in the world. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God; theſe have run from the fear, and are fallen into the pit, to avoid Iſai. 24. 18.the wrath of man have fallen under the inſupportable wrath of God.
The firſt of theſe ſufferings are fooliſh ſufferings, the ſecond ſinful, the third ſhamful, theſe laſt dreadful ſufferings.
But the ſufferings of good Conſcience are of another nature, and that it may ſuffer Six honourable kinds of ſuffrings.with Glorie, and with Comfort, muſt obſerve theſe Rules:
1. That his ſufferings be ever, and onelyonly for wel-doing. Theſe are honourable, and comfortable ſufferings. As he ſhuns not ſufferings, ſo he ſeeks them not. He procures them not by evil-doing as a Thief, or flagitious Malefactor, nor by over-doing as an eager buſie-bodie; he is not ſo fool-hardie as to be ambitious of ſuffering. But his firſt and Chief Ambition is well-doing, that hee may prevent il-ſuffering, 1 Pet. 2. 15. for ſo is the will of God, that by well-doing wee may put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men. His ſecond Ambition is to be Quiet, ſo is the Apoſtles Rule, 1 Theſ. 4. 11. That we ſtudie to bee quiet, and to do our own buſineſs; the word ſignifies foreignthat we do ambitiouſly and ſtudiouſly affect it. Sufferings are onelyonly to be deſired and undergone in the laſt place, when I can no longer will, nor chuſe, that is, when I can no longer go on in wel-doing according to my dutie, and no longer ſit ſtill in quiet according to my Deſire with a ſafe Conſcience, then I muſt be content to ſuffer. But we are to pray and endevour, that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſs and honeſtie. We are to trie how far Integritie and Innocencie may protect us, and how long we may be followers of that 1 Tim. 2. 2. Pſal. 25.which is good, before men moleſt us, 1 Pet. 3. 13. The good Conſcience muſt not go out of God's way to meet with ſufiering, as he muſt not go out of ſuffering way to meet with ſin. In a word, the Chriſtian can never expect to take the degree of Martyr, till he have firſt commenced Saint. It is not Poena, but Cauſa that commends the ſufferer.
2. If he do ſuffer for il-doing, yet he muſt be ſure to look to it, that it be wrongfully, 1 Pet. 2. 19. And if any evil be charged upon him, that it be falſly, Matth. 5. 11. And then we are under the ſame Promiſe of bleſſedneſs, as if we ſuffered for Righteouſneſs; But if ye do well, and ſuffer wrongfully, taking it patiently, this is that which is thank-worthy with God. And bleſſed are ye, ſaith our Saviour, when men revile you, perſecute you, and ſay all manner of evil againſt you (falſely) for my ſake. When Conſcience can ſay we are as deceivers; yet not deceivers, but true; as unknowen, yet well knowen to God, 2 Cor. 6. 9, 10.
3. The good Conſcience deſires chiefly and eſpecially to ſuffer in the Cauſe, and for the Name of Chriſt, this with him is to ſuffer as a Chriſtian. In the matter of the Kingdom Daniel was careful to carry himſelf unreproveable, Dan. 6. 4, 5.but in the matter of God he cared not what he ſuffered. All the buſineſſes of a Kingdom are below a wiſe Chriſtians ſpirit to ſuffer for them; civil and ſecular intereſts and quarrels, he likes not to adventure himſelf in; but the onelyonly quarrell that he would ingage in, and lay down his life for, is the cauſe and truth of Chriſt, the worſhip and matter of his God. Life, as it is too little worth to be laid out for Chriſt, ſo it is too precious to be laid out in any other cauſe. I muſt take heed that my own blood be not mingled with my Sacrifice, as the Galileans was … …uk. 13. 1with theirs. This is thank-worthy onelyonly, if a man for his conſcience toward God ſuffer, &c. Auſtin ſomewhere ſaith, Non refert qualia quis patiatur, De civit Dei. l. 1. c. 8.ſed qualis quis patitur, It matters not ſo much what it is that the man doth ſuffer, as what the man is that doth ſuffer. What an honour is it if I can call my ſuffering, the ſuffering of Chriſt, Col. 2. 24. my skars and marks the foreign, brands and marks of the Lord Jeſus, Gal. 6. 17. and if I can ſubſcribe my ſelf the Priſoner of Chriſt, Eph. 3. 1.
4. Good Conſcience loves to ſee his ground he goes upon; that his cauſe be clear, his grounds manifeſt, that he may not be ſtimulated and thruſt forward, by a heady and turbulent ſpirit, a miſ-informed Conſcience, but it muſt be for conſcience towards God, or according to God (the phraſe is emphaticall, the Conſcience of God) that I may ſay as the ſame Apoſtle in another foreign. 1 Pet. 2. 19.place, that I ſuffer according to the will of God, 1 Pet. 4. 19. That when I ſhall ſay to God, Lord thou ſeeſt what I do and ſuffer for thee, I have contended, and have fought for thee, I have lived and have died for thee, God may not reject all, and ſay, You have eaten Zech. 7. 5, 6.and drunk, faſted and feaſted, lived and died, to your ſelves: As the poor perſecuted and hated Jewes have for many ages, from the Romanes firſt, and all other Nations ſince, ſuffered all extremities; yet while they ſay, it is for their Conſcience, God ſaith, it is for their obſtinacy, and contempt of Chriſt and the Goſpel.
5. As the matter muſt be good that we ſuffer for, ſo it muſt be in a good manner that we ſuffer after, or we ſtain our ſuffering. If thou 1 Pet. 2. 19, 20.ſuffer wrongfully, thou muſt yet ſuffer patiently, impatience in the beſt cauſe will keep thee from thy Crown: This is to ſuffer according to the will of God, not onelyonly for the matter, but manner: This is to follow the example of all ſufferings, Jeſus Chriſt, who being 1 Pet. 2. 21, 22, 23.reviled, reviled not again, when he ſuffered, be threatened not, but committed his cauſe to him who judgeth righteouſly; yet had he done no evil, neither was any guile found in his mouth.
6. Laſtly, be ſure thou commit thy ſelf to God, when thou art ſuffering according to the will of God in well doing, ſo is the Apoſtles rule, 1 Pet. 4. 19. Suffering times had not need bee ſinning times; he will never make good Martyr, that is not a good Saint firſt. The Iſraelites were warned not to go Ex. 2. 22.out of their doors, but to be within at their Sacrifice, when the Deſtroyer was abroad. Daniel was within at his Prayers, when the Inquiſitors came to apprehend him. Many cautions are to be kept in ſuffering times, and many ingredients muſt be in our ſufferings, that they may be comfortable ſufferings. 1. It is not poena but cauſa, was ſaid of old, Cum boni; mali que pariter afflicti ſunt, non ideo ipſi diſtincti non ſunt, quia diſtinctum non eſt, quod utri que perpeſſi ſunt manet enim diſſimilitudo paſſorum etiam in ſimilitudine paſſionum, & licet ſub eodem tormento, non eſt idem virtus & vitium, Aug. de Civit. Dei. l. 1. c. 8.that is true, but not enough. 2. I may ſay, it is not poena and cauſa too that makes a Martyr, but conſcientia. 3. Nor is it every conſcientia, but conſcientia Dei. 4. Nor is it poena, cauſa, conſcientia, but vita that makes the Martyr. 5. But poena, cauſa, conſcientia, vita, & patientia, aut modus patiendi, makes the compleat Martyr. A good cauſe, a good conſcience, a good life, a good death, a good matter to ſuffer for, a good manner to ſuffer in, make the happie ſufferer, and the honourable Martyr.
Thus much of the Paſſive or ſuffering Conſcience.