A Good Conscience the Strongest Hold, Treatise · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of the ſincere Conſcience
NExt to pure conſcience comes the ſincere, being much alike, often taken promiſcuouſly one for the other; but though they may never be divided and parted, may thus be diſtinguiſhed: Pure is oppoſed to what is filthy, defiled, uncleane, profane, impure; Sincere Purity and integrity how they differ.is oppoſed to falſe, deceitfull, counterfeit, hypocriticall, imaginary. Every ſincere man is really pure, and endeavours ſo to be found; but every pure-ſeeming perſon is not ſincere, nor doth intend ſo to be. Sincerity is the glory of purity, and of conſcience, and of every perſon, grace, or action. It muſt be ſincere faith if any, 1 Tim. 1. 5. foreign faith unfaigned. Sincere love if any. 1. to Chriſt, Eph. 6. 24. Grace to all them that love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, foreign. 2. If to men, Rom. 12. 9. Let love be without diſſimulation, foreign. Good Hezekiah whatever he did, he did in his integrity, and with all his heart, and ſo he proſpered, 2 Chron. 31. 21.
The ſincere is ever a good conſcience; no ſooner ſincere, but preſently good; no longer good, then can be called ſincere. Sincerity is the ſoundneſſe, health, and right conſtitution of conſcience. Sincerity here is all our Gen. 6. 9. Job 1. 1.perfection; Noah, Job, and others were called perfect in their generations, onelyonly becauſe upright and ſincere: Sincerity is Earths higheſt perfection; we cannot go higher: Innocency was Paradiſes, purity is Heavens. Of this conſcience Paul ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this, the Teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdome, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world, &c. In which words foure things are very remarkable: 1. What is the beſt temper and complexion of conſcience. 2. What the cleareſt markes and beſt proofes to evidence it. 3. What is the worſt diſeaſe, and moſt deſtructive enemy to it. 4. What is the fruit and benefit of it.
1. The temper of the beſt conſcience is the foreign.godly ſincerity, or as the words are, The ſincerity of God] in all our converſings with men.
2. The cleareſt markes of this ſincerity are naked and downright ſimplicity, ſimplicity of God] as it is called; and the grace of God]
3. The moſt common, but dangerous enemy to conſcience, which is ever the bane and death of ſincerity, is fleſhly wiſdome [in ſincerity, not in fleſhly wiſdome] the more of that, the leſſe of this: Not in fleſhly wiſdome, but by the grace of God; nothing ſo oppoſite to Gods grace, as humane and carnall wiſdom, if the one increaſeth, the other ever decreaſeth.
4. But the fourth thing is the benefit of ſuch a conſtitution, and freedome from this diſtemper, which is above all expreſſion. It maintaines the ſoule in a plight of rejoycing, and in a ſtate of glory, as it were amidſt many preſſures, when the outward man was ouerburdened, ſentenced to death, and deſpairing of life, and of all outward reliefe, verſ. 8. Wee were preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, inſomuch that we deſpaired even of life; but we had the ſentence of death in our ſelves &c. yet there as in another place, 2 Cor. 6. 10. he ſaith, As ſorrowing, yet alway rejoycing; As dying, yet behold we live. Bleſſed be a good God, and well fare a good conſcience for it: It makes ſuch an alteration, that like the night ſtarres, when all day light is off the Heaven, Quaſi foreign, Leigh. Crit. Sacr. foreign Illae res proprie dicuntur, quae ſuum duntaxat nativum colorem, praeſertim album retinent nullo alio admiſto, ut lilia, lana candida; farina ſincera eſt, quae non eſt fermento corrupta. Zanch.then do theſe appeare; ſo the good of this conſcience is moſt ſeene in ſuch a ſad plight; when I am moſt full of ſorrow, then moſt full of joy; when neareſt to death, then have I moſt of life; when having nothing, I poſſeſſe all things. Oh the Cordials ſincere conſcience feedes the afflicted ſoule with!
The Greeke word [foreign] tranſlated Sincerity, 1 Cor. 5. 8. and 2 Cor. 1. 12. is a very elegant and moſt ſignificant word, ſignifying that tryall that is made of things by the Sunlight; as the Eagle is ſaid by Ariſtotle and Pliny, to bring her young unto the full ſight of the Sunne, to try whether they be generous and legitimate, or ſpurious; thoſe that can with open eye endure the light thereof, ſhe owneth; thoſe which wink ſhe rejecteth. Or as a Chapman openeth Wares, to ſee what deceit or flaw is in them, B. Andrews.
The Latine word [Sincerus] ſignifies that which is without all mixture, as Mel ſinè Cera, honey without any wax or droſſe, bread without Mar. 14. 3.leaven, wooll undyed; ſincere milke (foreign 1 Pet. 2. 2.) which hath no mixture, nothing but milke; like that precious Spikenard in the Alabaſter Box foreign, pure, and naturall Nard. Jerom. Theophilus, Euthemius, à foreign deducunt, ut quae ſit fidelis, germana, Pura, minimeque vitiata.
Which ſincerity of conſcience, if you deſire Notes of ſincerity.to know it, try it by theſe notes.
1. It makes a man abhor all guile and fraud, and renounce the hidden things of diſhoneſty, and caſt off the cloake of craftineſſe, makes a man like Jacob in his time, a plaine downright, or upright man; or like Nathaniel, a right-bred Iſraelite indeed, in whom was no guile; ſuch was Paul and his fellow Apoſtles, 2 Corinthians 2. 17. We are not as many, that corrupt and compound the Word of God according to our hearers phancy, or our owne advantage, but as of ſincerity, but as of God, and in the ſight of God, ſpeake we in Chriſt. So 2 Cor. 4. 2. We walke not in craftineſſe, or handle the word of God deceitfully. Where is ſincerity, there is an Identity ever and a ſameneſſe between heart, tongue, and hand, betweene outſide and inſide; what he ſeems, he is, what he promiſeth he performeth, as was ſaid before of Origen,
| Ʋt Docuit vixit, | He taught & lived, | alike. |
| vixit & ut Docuit, | and lived & taught |
Micaiah ſhewed his ſincerity, when he reſolved not to concur in the Agreement of the Prophets, to pleaſe their Soveraigne Lord the King: But what the Lord ſaith unto me, as the Lord liveth, that will I ſpeake, 1 King. 22. 14. And Caleb his ſincerity, when he reſolved not to betray his truſt, and promote the Agreement of the People, as did his corrupt fellow Repreſentatives, who voted according to the fickcle mindes of their Soveraigne Lord the People. But as for me, ſaith he, I ſpake as it was in my heart, Joſh. 14. 7. And I fully followed the Lord, verſ. 8. Sincerity abhorres equally both feare and flattery, and declines alike unneceſſary oppoſition and unwarrantable complyance.
The ſincere mans heart, yea and path too, is like the ſtreet of the new Jeruſalem, Rev. 21. 21. The ſtreet of the City was pure gold, as it were tranſparent glaſſe. Purity is the glory of Gold: Perſpicuity and Tranſparentneſſe of Glaſſe; both are the glory of the ſincere man, who is both Glaſſe and Gold: Tranſparent Glaſſe; you may ſee through him, he is all one without and within; and Pure Gold, that the more you ſee into him, the more you ſee his worth.
2. Sincerity being all to the light, as was Note. 2 ſaid before in the opening of the word, Joh. 3. 20. He that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeſt, that they are wrought in God, they are caſt in a right mold, and are of the right make: Therefore as of ſincerity, and as of God, and as in the ſight of God, are put together, 2 Cor. 2. 17. He that is ſuch, ownes nothing but what will endure the Sunne: To God he ſaith often, Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reines, and my heart, Pſal. 26. 2. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and ſee if there be any wicked way in me, Pſal. 139. 23, 24. Thus dare not an unſound heart ſay. So Peter, Lord, thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee, Joh. 21. 16, 17. To the moſt ſearching Miniſtery he ſaith, Teach me, and I will hold my tongue, and cauſe me to underſtand wherein I have erred, Job 6. 24. To every diſcerning mans conſcience, he offers to approve himſelfe in the ſight of God, 2 Cor. 4. 2. Let the righteous ſmite me, it ſhall be a kindneſſe; and let him reprove me, I ſhall not take it ill. Yea, he is the man who can be tryed by God and his Country; Ye are witneſſes, and God alſo, how holily, and justly, and unblameably we have had our converſation in the world, ſaid the Apoſtle, 1 Theſſ 2. 10. Yea he ſaith to his moſt obſerving adverſary, Let him write a Booke againſt me; I ſhall be able to anſwer all charges, and wipe off all aſperſions, ſaid Job in the aſſurance of a ſincere conſcience, Job 31. 35.
Wary Jacob would make ſure worke beforehand, if ever he ſhould have his dealings called in queſtion, that he ſhould never be touched in his ſincerity: So ſhall my righteouſneſſe anſwer for me in time to come, when it ſhall come before thy face, Gen. 30. 33. And this made him ſo confident when he was purſued, and charged with the plunder of Labans Gods. Search all my ſtuffe, diſcerne what is thine, ſpare not; what haſt thou found among all my houſhold-ſtuffe? Set it before my brethren, and thy brethren, I aske no favour. Oh the boldneſſe and braveneſſe of ſincerity! Nec Proprium veretur judicium de ſe nec alienum, Bernard. Joſephs brethren were ſo brought up by their Father Jacob, to hate all fraud and falſehood, that knowing their own integrity, they offered themſelves and their Sacks to any ſearch or examination; Behold, ſay they, the money which was in our ſacks mouths we brought againe; how then ſhould we ſteale out of our Lords houſe, ſilver or gold?Gen. 44. 9.
3. The ſincere man is ſemper & ubique idem, 3. Note.ſtill one and the ſame, alone or in company; Leave him to himſelfe, he is all one as if you looke on: He is as the clarified honey, cleare to the bottome; he is like the twelve Gates of the holy City, Rev. 21. 21. each Gate was of one piece, and that of pearle, one ſolid and entire rich pearle, it was not artificially made and joyned together, but one naturall rich pearle: Such is the ſincere man, all of a piece, nothing but one ſolid pearle. The Arke was pitched within with the ſame pitch which it was pitched without withall; ſuch is the ſincere man, within and without alike, inſide and outſide all one: Yea he is rather better then he ſhewes; as the Kings daughter, whoſe outſide might ſometimes be ſackcloth, yet was all glorious within, and her inward ga… ments of wrought gold. Or as the Temple outwardly Pſal. 45. 13nothing but wood and ſtone to be ſeene; inwardly all rich, and beautified, eſpecially the Sanctum Sanctorum (when the Vayle was drawne) was all Gold; The very 1 Ki. 6. 30.floore as well as the roofe, 1 King. 6. 30. was over-laid with Gold.
Such a one againe if you leave him to himſelfe, he will be juſt and faithfull, for he is a law to himſelf. When Jacob had received the Corne from Egypt, and his money returned, he ſent back the money which he might have concealed; but where had been his conſcience then? and where had been his integrity? Take the money with you againe, peradventure it Gen. 43. 12.was an overſight and miſtake in them, when they parted with their commodity, not to demand your money; but it would be a groſſe overſight, and foule miſtake in me, to take their goods without a valuable conſideration; Let my righteouſneſſe anſwer for me with whomſoever I have to deale.
4. The ſincere man may have divers failings, 4. Note.and be ſubject to divers temptations; yet doth he never allow himſelfe in any knowne evill; therefore is he called perfect in reſpect of his aime, intention, and purpoſe of minde. 2 King. 20 3. I beſeech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy ſight, ſaid gracious Hezekiah: My heart was perfect, though my wayes were not perfect: I can ſay with comfort, my deſires were perfect, though I cannot ſay in truth, all my doings were perfect. The ſincere man lives not after the world, though he lives in the world; he warres not after the fleſh, though he walke in the fleſh, 2 Cor. 10. 3. But he reſiſteth every knowne evill, and rejecteth every knowne errour; he purifieth himſelf as God is pure. God ſeeth all the 1 Jo. 3. 3.evill that is in the world, and in hell, in men, and in Devils, yet is he not polluted with any, but abhorreth it all: So a good man ſeeth much evill in others, and keepes himſelfe pure; he ſeeth many evill imaginations caſt in, and evill inclinations ſtirring in himſelfe, but he approveth none of them; but purgeth himſelf (that is) he hath a ſtirring principle of grace wil work out any ſin. As a living Fountaine, if you caſt mud into it, will not reſt till it hath purged it ſelfe; or as new wine, or beere, that hath life and ſtrength in it, when thick and troubled, yet by degrees worketh it ſelfe cleare, and pure. A puddle doth not ſo, but was dirty and thick before, and if you caſt any dirt or filth in it, there it lyes, and makes it worſe.
Jacobs Sons had money put into all their Gen. 42. 28, 35. Gen. 44. 12.ſacks at one time, and a Cup put into Benjamins ſack at another time: but they tooke not the one or the other, and when they came to know of it, they approved of neither. A ſincere heart is beſt known by what it allows or diſallows: What I do, I allow not. Rom. 7. 16, 17. For what I would, that I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. You may finde a ſincere man doing an evil, never ſhall you finde him loving an evil, juſtifying, or defending any evil, this deſtroys ſincerity. Sin and ſincerity may ſtand together, but not love of ſin, and ſincerity.
5. The ſincere man holdes on his courſe, and he that hath cleane hands ſhall be ſtronger, and Note. 5 ſtronger, Job. 17. 9. The veſſell of gold weares brighter and brighter, by uſe to the laſt; The gilded Cup weares paler and paler, till all the gilding is gone. This man alters not with weather and times, and ſucceſſe, or any wearing you put him to; but like the green Bay-Tree, keeps green all winter. Times may alter, he alters not. He ſets his watch onelyonly by the Sunne, whereas an other ſets his by the pariſh Clock, or his neighbours watch. He orders his converſation by Rule, not Example, by Rule, not Opinion, men and opinions vary every day; But Conſciences Rule is the ſame yeſterday, to day, and for ever. All fleſh is graſſe, and all the glory of mans wit and parts, are as the flower of the Field; The man with ereth, and his opinion fadeth, but the word of God indureth for ever. The dead fiſh 1 Pet. 1. 22 24ever ſwims downe the ſtreame, the living can, and doth ſwim againſt the ſtreame; Therefore ſincerity is beſt ſeene, in times when Satan is let looſe, in places where Satan hath Rev. 2. 13.his Throne, where there are few incouragements from preſent times, or perſons to perſiſt in a godly way; but many diſcouragements. Nicodemus ſhewed his ſincerity in ſticking cloſe to a condemned Chriſt. Jo. 7. 51. Joſeph of Arimathea, his love and ſincerity to a crucified Christ, a forſaken Chriſt, a naked Jo. 19. 38.Chriſt, ſtripped by the Souldiers of all he had. This is ſmcerity; it is nothing to cry Hoſanna to a trymphing Chriſt; To ſay good maſter to a healing Chriſt. So to love the truth, as well when it muſt live on us, as when we can live upon it; This is the love of truth, this is the truth of love. And this is ſincerity; But the hypocrite and unſound perſon will ſtudy the Poſtures and Genius of the times, and will know his company; and ſo he reſerves, or declares himſelfe, as he ſees occaſion; with the holy he can be holy, and with the filthy, filthy. Such a one is like the Amphibia in nature, he can live in divers elements. He can pronounce both Shibboleth, and Sibboleth; he can ſweat both God, and Malchom, and divide himſelfe Jud. 12. 6. Zeph. 1. 5. Mat. 6. 24too betweene God and Mammon, and indeed is all this while nothing elſe but a Meteor, or blazing ſtarre, which glitters, and blazeth while the Nutritive matter feedeth it; that waſted, it vaniſheth, and is ſeene no more. But the true and ſincere conſcience is like your fixed ſtarre, which keepes his ſtation, and moveth ſtill Orderly, Conſtantly, Regularly, and Vniformly in his owne Orbe. Whereas all unſound men are like the Rack of the Clouds, which is not moved by any Interne principle, or any certain rule at all, but is hurryed back-ward and forward, by the uncertain conduct of the windes. It is obſerved in the Revelation, thoſe who were marked with Rev. 7. 3. Rev. 14.Gods marke, had the ſeale or marke in their forehead; thoſe of Antichriſts party had it in the forehead ſometime to proclaime it; in their hand ſometimes to conceale it. The ſincere man muſt be a conſtant, and certaine man.
6. Ʋniverſality is ever a certaine Note of Note. 6 ſincerity. The Papiſts make it falſely a Note of the true Church: But we rightly make it a certaine note of the true Chriſtian. Zachary and Elizabeth were therefore counted righteous before God, and blameleſſe before men, in that they walked in all the Ordinances of God, Luke 1. 6. and Heb. 13. 18. The Apoſtle aſſerteth the ſincerity of his honeſty by this marke, we truſt we have a good or honeſt conſcience. (foreign) becauſe we deſire in all things to live honeſtly, foreign, &c. The good man muſt like Moſes, have his two hands filled with the Deut. 9. 15.two tables reſpecting both God and man; God in each duty of Piety, Man in each duty of honeſty, mercy, juſtice, charity. Daniel could Apologize for himſelfe, that before God innocency was found in him, and before the King no hurt Dan. 6. 2…could be charged on him. Vniverſality, and indifferency to all ſorts of perſons in all places, at all times, in all duties, ſhewes a man ſincere. To be partiall in the Law. Mal. 2. 9. is to corrupt the Law. To make conſcience of one duty, and not of another, is to make no conſcience of the one, or other; to flye on ſin, and not another is rightly to fly no ſinne. To make our Phylacteries broad, and our charity Mat. 23. 5. Mat. 23. 23narrow, foule Phariſaiſme; to Tythe mint, and Cummin, and neglect mercy, judgement, and faith, Rom. 2. 22.is groſſe hypocriſie. To abhor Idols, and commit ſacriledge, is the prophaneſt impiety.
7. This man carries himſelfe ever as before Note. 7 God, 2 Cor. 2. 17. In ſincerity, as of God, in the ſight of God: He ſaith with David, Pſal. 16. 8. I have ſet the Lord alway before me, and I ſet my ſelf alway before him; His eye is ever upon me, my eye is often upon him, ſo that he calls the place where he is, as Hagar her well, Beer-la-hai-roi, Gen. 16. 14. that is the well of him that liveth and ſeeth me; ſhe gives the reaſon, I have ſeen him that ſeeth me. The ſincere man writes over every room, Gods ſees me, Gods eye and his hand follow me, Pſal. 139. 10. When you caſt your eye on a well drawn Picture, which way ſoever you turn it ſeems to have his eye ſtill upon you, and follow you; ſo it is with a godly man, he obſerves as Peter did, the eye of Chriſt finding him out in a corner: Went not my heart with thee? ſaith the Lord to him; and he to God, If I ſhould forget the Covenant of God, and Pſa. 44. 21.lift up my hands to a ſtrange God, ſhall not God ſearch this out, he tryeth the reins and ſecrets of the heart. See ſaid Laban, No man ſeeth, but Gen. 31. 50.God ſeeth, and is a witneſs between thee and me: Therfore he called the place of the Covenant-making Mizpeh, the Lord watcheth and obſerveth; thus the ſincere man carryeth an awfull apprehenſion of Gods preſence with him ſtill, as that Kings Son carried an effigies of his father with him, and ſaith, whatever I do I muſt do it heartily as to the Lord, and not to men; Col. 3, 23.And every place to ſuch a one, is either a Bethell, or a Penuell: He can ſay, I have ſeen God in this place, face to face, and my life is preſerved, Gen. 32. 30. Or elſe at leaſt, God is in this place though I was not aware, Gen. 28. 16.
8. Note, The ſincere man is known by this, Note. 8 he conſults with his duty more then with commodity, and reſolves againſt ſin more then againſt any danger. He always poſtpoſeth humane danger to Divine diſpleaſure, and undervalueth all loſſes to the loſs of Gods favour and his own Peace. How can they beleeve who will hazard rather a caſting out of Heaven by God, then out of the Synagogue by men? Joh. 12. 42. How do they beleeve, who love the praiſe of men, and ſeek not the honour that cometh of God onelyonly? Joh. 5. 40. How do they believe in ſincerity, who love the uppermoſt ſeats in Synagogues and higheſt Offices in the State, and greetings in the Markets or Courts (foreign) who will riſe with Chriſt, if they may, and follow him with a Bag as Judas, but are reſolved not to fall with Chriſt and follow him with a Croſs? Sincerity ſaith, Let Chriſt be magnified, though I bevilified: Let him be omnified, though I be nullified: If my fall be his riſing, what ſhall I be loſer?
Let integrity, and uprightneſs preſerve me, Pſal. 25. 21. or let me periſh; let them bayle me, or let me go to priſon, ſaith the upright man.
9. Note of ſincerity is, That ſuch a one cannot Note. 9 skill of your fleſhly wiſdom, or worldly policy. Sincerity was never cut out for a Time-ſerving Politician, 2 Cor. 1. 12. In ſincerity and ſimplicity of God, not in fleſhly wiſdom ſaith the Apoſtle: They are ſo oppoſite that the one doth ſhake and leſſen the other; the more ſimplicity, the leſs policy; & the more of jugling and deſigns, the leſs you ſee of this ſincerity. In ſimplicitate fides ſaid Hilary. Where there is ſo much of the Serpent, there is nothing of the Spirit, becauſe none of the Doves ſimplicity. Simplicity is the ſincerity, and ſincerity all the policy of a conſcientious man. It was never a good world with Chriſtians, ſince they forſook the waters of Siloah that run ſoftly, and Eſ. 8. 6.left this old ſimplicity to ſtudy depths and ſtratagems of policy: This Serpent hath devoured all our rods of ſtrength. Worldly wiſdom is the bane of Grace, and Conſcience; and Religion hath never thriven well ſince Chriſtians would become Students in Politicks; Rev. 8. 11.This wormwood ſtar hath fallen into all our Ponds, and Springs, but hath imbittered and corrupted all our waters, turning them into worm-wood, and hath marred Profeſſers, Profeſſion, Parliament, Army, Covenant, Reformation, all: That we in Ezekiels bitterneſs, Ez. 2. 14.and heat of Spirit, may take up Bernards lamentation, and ſay, "Vae generationi huic à fermento Phariſaeorum, quod eſt hypocriſis, ſi tamen hypocriſis dici debet, quae jam latere prae abundantia non valet, & prae impudentia non quaerit. Serpit bodie antiqua tabes per Bern. ſuper Cant. Serm. 33.omne corpus Eccleſiae, & quo latius, eo deſperatius: eóque periculoſius, quò interius, &c.
St. Paul wiſheth a Chriſtian no more wiſdom then may make him honeſt and ſincere, Rom. 16. 19. I would have you wiſe unto that which is good, but ſimple concerning evil: The worldly wiſe like beſt that reading of Arias Montanus, Prov. 8. 12. Ego ſapientia cum aſtutia habitavi; but the godly like rather, Ego conſcientia cum ſimplicitate, I wiſdom dwell Pro. 8. 12.with prudence, and I Conſcience with ſimplicity; not with worldly craftineſs, foreign: The worlds ſimplicity is Gods ſincerity; as the worlds wiſdom foreign is with God but folly.foreign. Callidus qui dexteritate ingenii valet ad quidlibet agendum verſipellis, veteratorius, ut Callidus a callendo, quod omnis gener…dolos calleat. Mr. Leigh.
When Jacobs ſons and the Shechemites ſought to out-vye and over reach each other in wyles of policy, they both ſhut out ſincerity. After that diſtaſte given, they came to terms of amity ſeemingly, a Perſonall Treaty there was, many complements paſſed, and fair Religious pretences were held forth. Jacobs ſons pretended much to conſcience, they might not inter-marry with uncircumciſed perſons; but intended rapine, murther, revenge, and ſo poſſeſſed themſelves of their houſes and eſtates. The Shechemites again held them as fair with pretences of love, deſire to incorporate and unite, and to turn to their Religion, but intended only the enriching, and advantaging themſelves. Here was craft and policy on both ſides, ſincerity on neither, it proſpered accordingly: The Shechemites (which was the ſhame and miſchief of it) were overwitted by the ſons of Jacob, and were put to the ſword while they were ſore; they gaping after others ſtates loſt their own firſt, and their lives withall: Jacobs ſons carrying home the plunder, meet at home with their Fathers curſe: You have made Religion ſtinke, ſaid the ſincere and plain-hearted old man; You have made me weak, ſtained my glory, made Gen. 34. 30me to be abhorred; Curſed be that wrath, it was cruell; curſed be ſuch policy, it is Helliſh: Into ſuch ſecrets, let not my ſoul come: It is a notable ſaying of Bildad, Job 18. 7. The counſell of the wicked ſhall caſt him down, or caſt him out; it caſts him out of all, out of credit, out of truſt, out of ſtate, out of office, out of comfort, out of grace, and out of Heaven at laſt. Lu…her was wont to ſay, There were three things that would deſtroy Religion, and remove the Goſpel. 1. Forgetfulneſs of the benefits received by the Goſpel. 2. Generall ſecurity which is ſo much prevailing. 3. Worldly wiſdom, Sapientia mundi quae vult omnia redigere in ordinem, & publicam tranquillitatem impiis conſiliis mederi, which muſt overrule all, and prefer publick ſafety before ſincerity.
Laſtly, would you know your own ſincerity? obſerve this rule, and you cannot miſtake: Note. 10 1. What is the principle you Act from? 2. What the rule you Act by? 3. What the end you Act to, and aym at? The ſincere Chriſtian makes God his Alpha and Omega, his Beginning and End and middle, his firſt and laſt, and all; ſaith of him, through him, and for him are all things, to him be all glory, Rom. 11. 36.
1. Minde what is the Originall and principle Mat. 6. 1. 2, 5.you move from. A Phariſee may pray, but not for devotion, but oſtentation; therefore it muſt be in the corner of the ſtreets, not in a corner of the houſe; he may give an alms, but not without a Trumpet blown; another doth the one in Faith out of Piety, the other out of charity; ſome preach Chriſt purely, and ſincerely out of love to gain ſouls to Chriſt; ſome alſo preach out of envy and ſtrife, Phil. 1. 15 16.to make a ſtir in the Church, and gain applauſe and get hearers to themſelves, and to pull on more affliction to Pauls bands, that is to create more contempt to the Miniſtery under ſufficient contempt already. Saul confeſſed I 1 Sam. 15. 24. 2 Sam. 12. 13. Mar. 1. 24, 25. Mat. 16. 16 17.have ſinned, but it was forced, it was feigned: David cryed out I have ſinned, it was free, not forced; it was true, not feigned; he was accepted, pardoned and looſed; Saul was rejected, caſt off, and bound; Satan ſaith to Chriſt, Thou art the Son of God, and is rebuked as accurſed; Peter ſaith the ſame, and is commended, and proclaimed bleſſed.
2. Obſerve what is the rule you conſtantly walk by; The godly make the Word and Commandment of God their Rule. So Joſiah, 2 King. 22. 2. He did what was right in the figbt of the Lord, walked in all the ways of David his Father, and turned not aſide to the right hand, or to the left. Come commodity or diſcommodity, he keeps on his way; the ſun may be as ſoon diverted in his courſe, as he willingly deviate from his Rule; but an unſound man ſtill caſts an eye on his own intereſt, and therefore follows not God fully, and the word exactly, but with a ſalvo ever and a reſerve. Thus it is ſaid of three Kings of Judah ſucceeding each other, they all did what was right in the ſight of the Lord, yet never a good one among them. Jotham did what was right in the ſight of the Lord, as did Ʋzziah his father, 2 Chron. 27. 2. Ʋzziah did the like, did what was right in the ſight of the Lord according to all that Amaziah his father did, 2 Chr. 26. 4. And looke now what Amaziah the Grandfather was; he did what was right in the ſight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, 2 Chr. 25. 2.
Jehu did well a great while, but at laſt fell off, Howbeit he took not heed to walk in the law of the Lord with all his heart, he departed not from the ſins of Jeroboam, 2 King. 10. 31. Jeroboam himſelf went along with God while their way lay together, but when the way parted, and Gods honour lay one way, his imaginary honour and ſecurity lay another, he then diſcovers himſelf, and takes his leave of God, and will rather forgo all his intereſt in God and Heaven, and eternity, then hazard his intereſt in the Crown. He ſins, and made all Iſrael ſin. When you ſee two men travelling together, and a Spaniell following, you know not whoſe he is till they part; then he leaveth the one, and follows his maſter alone; it was for his maſters ſake he went at all with the other; no tryall while our way, and Gods lie together, their parting tryes our ſincerity.
3. Obſerve the end you aym at; God is the Chriſtians end, and his glory his aym; the hypocrite makes himſelf his own end, and ſo Zach. 7. 5. 6himſelf his own God; He eats to himſelf, drinks to himſelf, faſteth to himſelf, and ſtill hath that property of the empty vine, he beareth fruit to himſelf, Hoſ. 10. 1. You never finde an hypocrite without a deſigne, what ever his actions are; he hath a deſigne as his end, and himſelf is the ultimate and great deſign.
The ſincere man is the man who is engaged to no deſigne in the world but one, h. e. Gods honour, and here you finde him intent, ſedulous, and immovable, and he is ſtill tender of any diſ-ſervice done to God, as thoſe officious informers, Ezra 4. 14. were of their maſters; and upon the ſame account, we have our maintenance (ſay they) from the Kings palace; are ſalted with the ſalt of the palace, the Original hath it; therefore it is not meet for us to ſee the Kings diſhonour, therefore we have ſent to certifie the King. We are the Kings creatures, ſay they, eat the Kings ſalt, have our ſalary from the King, therefore we muſt be true to our truſt. Much more ſaith the godly heart, I have my dependance wholly on God, I am thy very Creature, the work of thy hands, I am ſalted with the ſalt of the Sanctuary, I eat the Lords bread, wear his given clothes, breath in his ayre, dwell in his Tenement, he gives me lodging, living, breath, being, and all I have, I muſt be true to his intereſt, I muſt not be ſilent at, or unſenſible of his diſhonour. All mine are thine ſaid our Saviour, and thine are mine. Any hypocrite will ſay and make good the latter, all thine are mine; all wil conſent to Joh. 17. 10take away Tuum, but ſincerity takes away Meum not Tuum between God and him. All mine is Gods, ſaith he, as to ſubordinate all to him, improve all for him. All Gods is mine, as to be ſolicitous for his things as for my own, yea above my own; not his are mine to be ſubſervient and ſubordinate to my ends, as the hypocrite ſaith, Da mihi fallere, Lord let me make uſe of thy Name and Honour, and Cauſe, and Intereſt, and Servants and Scriptures to build my own houſe, and ſo attain my own ends. But, ſaith he, all mine is thine, Lord ſerve thy ſelf of me and mine; all my parts, ſtudies, intereſts, abilities, deſignes, ayms are for thee, and for thy ſervice.
Thus in all your actions if you would have comfort in them, you muſt conſider with what conſcience you do them; ſo much of conſcience as is in your actions, ſo much of comfort; and ſo much of ſincerity, ſo much of conſcience; and ſo much regard to your principles, to your rule, to your end, ſo much you may conclude of ſincerity. And ſo much of this moſt excellent conſcience: the conſcience of ſincerity.