Good Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP: III.
A good Conſcience what it is: falſe ones diſcouered.
VVHat Conſcience is wee hauehave ſeene; The ſecond thing conſiderable, is what a good Conſcience is. The Conſcience that is good, muſt bee good with a double goodneſſe.
1. With the goodneſſe of Integrity.
2. With the goodnes of Tranquility
Vprightneſſe, and Peace: theſe two are required to the conſtitution of a good Conſcience.
Firſt, it is good with the goodnes of Integrity, when it is an vpright conſcience. This is that which Paul cals A pure Conſcience, 2 Tim. 1. 3. which phraſe a man would almoſt thinke in his conſcience that the holy Ghoſt vſed on ſet purpoſe, to ſtop the mouth of the iniquity of the later times, that ſhould ſeeke to diſgrace all good Conſcience with the ſarcaſme of puritie. Now the Conſcience is good with this goodneſſe of Integritie, and puritie three wayes.
1. When it being informed & rightly principled by the word of God, the only rule and binder of Conſcience, it doth truly & ſincerely Iudge, and determine euill to be euill, and good to be good. As contrarily, the conſcience is ſinfully euill, when it doth not determine that to be euill which is euill, nor that to be good which is good, but cals euill good, and good euill. Such as are the Conſciences of Ignorant perſons, who wanting the knowledge of Gods word, and hauing their conſciences blinded through ignorance, are not able to iudge of good and euill, nor to diſcerne & determine which is which. So that knowledge is neceſſarily required to the goodneſſe of Conſcience. Rom. 15. 14. Ye alſo are full of goodneſſe filled with all knowledge. The conſcience cannot be good where the ſoule is naught, and that the ſoule bee without knowledge, it is not good Prov. 19. 2.
2. When it doth excuſe for that which is good, and accuſe for that which is euill, being ſanctified by the ſpirit of grace: for the accuſation of conſcience though it follow vponupon ſin, yet it is not ſinfull, and euill in it ſelfe, but onelyonly painefull and troubleſome, and ſo oppoſed to the goodneſſe of peace, not to the goodnes of vprightnes, according to that trite diſtinction of Bernard of a good conſcience, and not quiet, and a quiet conſcience and not good. It is the propertie of a Conſcience vprightly good, to accuſe vponupon any ſinne committed. As contrarily, the conſcience is ſinfully euill, when it doth not excuſe for good, nor accuſe for euill. The ſuperſtitious perſon, omitting his fopperies, ſhould be excuſed by his conſcience, whereas he rather receiues blame from his conſcience, therefore his conſcience is ſinfully euill. The ſecure perſons conſcience is naught, becauſe he hauing committed ſinne, his Conſcience is ſilent, & lets him alone, and brings in no accuſation againſt him, therefore it is ſinfully euill. It is a witneſſe that hath ſeene, and knowne euill, and doth not vtter it, therefore it ſhall beare its iniquitie. Levit. 5▪ 1.
3. When it doth incite and vrge vsus to doe good, and doth ſtay and hinder from euill. It is vprightly good when it ſpurs to good, & bridles from euill. Heb. 13. 18. For wee are aſſured that wee hauehave a good Conſcience. viz. A Conſcience that is neither ſilent to perſwade to that which is good, or diſwade from that which is euill. If a man goe about, or bee ready to yeeld to any thing that is ſinfull, how will it muſter vp legions of Arguments, how will it wreſtle and ſtruggle with a man? It will ſay as Abner to Ioab. 2 Sam▪ 2, 26. Knoweſt thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter end? or as Abigail to Dauid. 1 Sam. 25. 31. It ſhall be no griefe, nor offence of heart vntounto thee another time, not to hauehave done this euill. If a man be negligēt, or careleſſe and drowſie in good duties, it comes to him with that voyce, Epheſ. 5. 14. Awake thou that ſleepest; or with that Iſa. 30. 21. This is the way walke in it. When it doth thus, it is vprightly good. Contrarily, it is ſinfully euill when it doth not incite vsus to that which is good, nor hinder vsus from doing euill. This is a dead, and a ſeared conſcience. 1 Tim. 4. 2. Hauing their conſciences ſeared with an hot yron.
2. It is good with the goodneſſe of Tranquility. And that is when the conſcience is at Peace, and doth not accuſe vsus, becauſe it hath not wherewith to accuſe vsus, either becauſe not guilty of ſuch or ſuch a particular fact. 1 Cor. 4. 4 I know nothing by my ſelfe; or elſe becauſe it is aſſured of pardon, in the blood of Chriſt, by which we come to hauehave no more Conſcience of ſins. Heb. 10. 2 That is, no more Conſcience to accuſe or condemne for ſinne, it being done away in the bloud of Chriſt. And this is the purged Conſcience, Heb. 9. 14. which brings Hope, Ioy, Comfort, and Confidence with it▪ 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our reioycing, the teſtimony of our Conſcience. Then is the Conſcience good when it is peaceable. As contrarily, then is it euill, painefully euill, when it is turbulent, and troubleſome in the accuſations thereof, and binds ouer to Iudgement, and ſo leaues vsus in ſhame, feare, perplexity, and griefe. 1 Ioh. 3. 20. If our heart cōdemne vsus. This is a wounded, a troubled conſcience. This is oft the euill Conſcience of euill men: Iſa. 57. 21. There is no peace to the wicked, faith my God. Yet may a man hauehave his conſcience vprightly good, which is painefully euill, for a good mans Conſcience may bee vnquiet and troubled. Thus then wee ſee what a good conſcience is, that which is vprightly honeſt, and quietly peaceable. This being ſo, it ſerues to diſcouer the dangerous errour of diuers ſorts of people, that are in a dreame of hauing good conſciences, and yet hauing nothing leſſe. There be three ſorts of conſciences, which becauſe they are in ſome ſort quiet, and ſting not, their owners would hauehave to goe for good ones, and yet are ſtarke naught, and they are, The Ignorant; The Secure, and the Seared Conſcience.
1. The Ignorant conſcience. Men iudge of their ignorant conſciences, as they doe of their blind, dumbe, and ignorant Miniſters. Such neither do nor can Preach, can neither tel men of their ſinnes, nor of their duties. Aske ſuch a blind guides people, what their conceit is of him, and what a kinde of man their Miniſter is, and yee ſhall hauehave him magnified for a paſſing honeſt harmeleſſe man, and a man wondrous quiet amongſt his neighbours. They may doe what they will for him, he is none of thoſe troubleſome fellowes that will be reprouing their faults, or complaining of their diſorders in the Pulpit; oh, ſuch a one is a quiet good man indeed. Thus iudge many of their Conſciences. If their conſciences bee quiet, and lie not grating vponupon them, and telling them that their courſes are ſinfull and damnable, and that their perſons are in a dangerous condition, but rather by their ſilence, ignorance, and vaine pretences doe iuſtifie them, and tell them all will be well enough. Oh then what excellent good conſciences hauehave theſe men. They make no conſcience of Familie duties, once in the yeere to come to the Sacrament ſerues the turne; they are common ſwearers in their ordinary communication; make no conſcience of ſanctifiing Sabbaths, &c. and their conſciences lets them alone in all theſe, doe not giuegive them one ſyllable of ill language, oh what gentle, and good natured conſciences thinke theſe men they hauehave? But alas what euill conſciences hauehave they. A good conſcience muſt be vpright as well as peaceable. And an vp right conſcience is enlightned with the knowledge of the Word, and by that light iudges what is good, and what is euill, and when it finds mens actions not to be good, & warrantable deales plainely, and lets them heare of it. A good conſcience hath good eyes, and is able to diſcerne betweene good and euill. Now theſe mens conſciences are quiet, & hauehave their mouthes ſhut, but whence is it? Becauſe their eyes are ſhut, and they are dumbe, becauſe they are blind. Right Idoll cōſciences▪ they want mouthes to ſpeake, be…uſe they want eyes to ſee. So that it may be ſaid of ſuch conſciences as the Prophet ſpeakes of thoſe Watchmen. Iſa. 56. 10. His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumbe dogs, they cānot bark. Their blindnes bred dumbnes, and their ignorance ſilence. Thus is it with ignorant Conſciences. What is the reaſon they barke not, but are dumbe, and are thus quiet? Meerely becauſe they are blind and ignorant.
But yet as good as men account theſe conſciences now, the time will come that it ſhall fare with thē as it did with Adam & Eue after they had eaten the forbidden fruit, Then their eyes were opened. So the time ſhall come when theſe Conſciences ſhall hauehave their eies opened, & then alſo ſhal their mouths by oyened, yea wide, & lowd opened, and theſe now quiet conſciences ſhall both barke and bite too. Do not therefore flatter thy ſelfe in thine Ignorāce, as if thy condition, & conſcience were good, becauſe quiet. Neuer account th… true Peace which is not ioyned with vprightnes. Integrity, & ignorāce can no more ſtand together, then light and darkeneſſe. Integrity of conſcience may be without Peace, Peace can neuer be without Integritie. Dumbe Miniſters goe in the world for good Miniſters, becauſe quiet ones, but the day will come that men ſhall curſe them for hauing beene ſo quiet. So Ignorant and tongue tyed conſciences goe for good ones, but the time will come that men will curſe this peace of their conſcience, for bringing them ſo quietly to hell. The Maſſe goes for an excellēt good ſeruice, becauſe Miſſa non mordet, honeſt toothles deuotion, it neuer faſtens fang in the hearers fleſh. So many hauehave Maſſe-like conſciences, toothleſſe, and tongueleſſe conſciences, but yet the time will come, that as Maſſemongers ſhall curſe their toothleſſe Maſſe, ſo ignorant perſons that now glory in their peace, ſhall curſe their toothleſſe conſcience, yea they ſhall gnaſh their teeth, becauſe conſcience had no teeth, & ſhal gnaw their tōgues for anguiſh of heart, becauſe their conſciences wanted tongues to tell them of the danger of their wicked wayes, that hauehave brought them to ſo miſerable a condition.
2. The ſecure conſcience. As the blind conſcience was like the dumbe Miniſter, ſo the ſecure conſcience is like the flattering Miniſter, that (Ier. 6. 13.) heales the hurt of his people with ſweete words, & cryes, peace, peace, where there is no peace. This conſcience wants not an eye, but only a good tongue in the head. It ſees its maſter to doe euill, and knowes it to bee euill, but either cares not to ſpeake, or elſe is eaſily put off from ſpeaking, ſometime it cares not to ſpeake, being ſleepy, heauy, and drowſie, like thoſe Prophets. Iſa. 56. 10. They are all dumbe dogs, they cannot barke. What was the reaſon? Sleeping, lying downe, louing to ſlumber. A ſleepy, and heauy-eyde Curre, though hee ſee one come into his Maſters yard, or houſe, that ſhould not, yet barkes not, as loath by his barking to diſquiet himſelfe. A ſleepy ſecure Conſcience ſees many a ſin to enter the ſoule that ſhould not, and yet lies ſtill, and ſayes nothing, is loath to breake its ſleepe. And yet ſuch Conſciences men count good.
Sometimes it may bee it offers to ſpeake, as a ſleepy dog may open once, or twiſe at a ſtrāgers entrance, yet is ſoone ſnibd, the leaſt word of the maſter of the houſe makes him whiſt, and quiet. So ſecure Conſciences vponupon the greene wound begin to ſmart, and vponupon the freſh commiſſion of ſinne begin to mutter, & to hauehave ſome grudgings, but their maſter anſwers them as the friend in his bed did his neighbour, deſiring to borrow three loaues. Luc. 11. 17. Trouble me not, for I am in bed. I pray thee be quiet, let vsus hauehave no wrangling and brawling, it ſhall be ſo no more, I will cry God mercy, I will hereafter finde a time for repentance, &c. and ſo Conſciēce being ſecure, is eaſily put of with a few good words, & ſo cloſing her eyes, and mouth againe giues her maſter liberty to take his reſt. And thus the ſecure conſcience becauſe it is ſo eaſily huſht, & ſtilld, is counted a good conſcience, as Nurces count them good children which though they are ready to cry at eueryevery turne, yet are eaſily quieted with ſome toy.
But this conſcience is as farre from a good Conſcience, as Security is from Integritie. Sin indeede ſleepes, but yet it ſleepes but dog-ſleepe, yea though it ſleepe ſoundly, yet it cannot ſleepe long. Gen. 4. 7. Sinne lies at the doore. Sin lies a ſleepe in the conſcience as a Maſtife lyes at the doore. A place where a dog cannot ſleepe long. The doore is the common paſſage into, & out of the houſe, eueryevery one is paſſing to and fro that way, and keepe ſuch a clattering with the opening, and ſhutting of the doore, that there can be no ſound, or at leaſt no long ſleepe. No better is the ſleepe of ſecure conſciences, which at length like mad ban-dogs, and fell Maſtifes, will fly in the face of the ſinner, ready to plucke out the very throat and heart of him.
The ſecure Conſcience can bee no good conſcience, becauſe it hath neyther vprightnes, nor peace, both which were before required to the temper of a good one. Vprightnes hath it none, for it is not faithfull in its office, it doth not witneſſe, it doth not accuſe, as it becomes an honeſt vpright conſcience to doe. Peace it hath none. There is a great difference betweene a peace, and a truce. In peace there is a totall depoſition, both of Armes and Enmitie, all hoſtile affections are put of: In a truce, there is but a ſuſpenſion and a ceſſation of Armes for a ſeaſon, ſo as during the ſame there is ſtill prouiſion of more Forces, and a preparation of greater ſtrength. A truce is but a breathing time to fit for fiercer impreſſions. The truce being ended, the aſſaults are rather fiercer thē they were before. The ſecure conſciences are quiet, not becauſe there is peace, for there is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God. Iſa. 57. 21.Quomodo tranquilla? cum mundi huius proſperitus alludit, & illudit, cum laudatur peccator in deſideriis animae ſuae. Bernard▪ de Conſc. But becauſe there is ſome truce, the world ſmiles vponupon them, & they hauehave outward hearts eaſe, and this brings them aſleepe, but if any affliction, croſſe, or ſickneſſe come, then they ſee how farre they are from peace. Conſcience is ſometime at truce with ſecure ſinners, but during this truce, conſcience is preparing Armes, and Ammunition againſt them, is leuying of freſh Forces againſt them, and aſſoone as the truce is ended, be it ſooner or be it later, hauehave at them with more violence, fury, and fierceneſſe then euer before. And the truce once ended, it will eaſily appeare, what a wide breadth of difference, there is betweene a ſecure & a good conſcience.
3. A Seared conſcience. That which Paul ſpeakes of, 1 Tim. 4. 2. A cauterized Conſcience. That is, as Beza tranſlates and expounds it. A conſcience cut off as it were with a Chirurgions Inſtrument. An arme, or a leg cut off from the body, ſtab it, gaſh it, chop it into gobbets, doe what you will with it, it is inſenſible, it feeles it not. Or elſe as our tranſlation hath it, Hauing their conſciences ſeared with an hot yron. A compariſon borrowed from Chirurgerie. When a lim is cut off, Chirurgions vſe to ſeare that part of the body from whence the other is taken with an hot yron, and ſometimes they doe cures by ſearing the affected parts with hot yrons. Now theſe parts vponupon their ſearing hauehave a kinde of cruſty brawnineſſe, which is vtterly inſenſible, which though it be cut, or pricked, it neither bleeds, nor feeles. Thus is it with many mens Conſciences, cōmit they whatſoeuer ſinnes they will, yet their hearts are ſo hardened through long cuſtome in ſin, that they ſeele no gripings, pinches, or bitings at all, but are growne to that dead, and dedolent diſpoſition. Ephe. 4. 19. who being paſt feeling, &c. It is with ſuch mens conſciences, as with labouring mens hands, which through much labour hauehave a brawny hardnes growing vponupon them, which is without any feeling. One may thruſt pins into it, pare it with a knife, and yet without any trouble or griefe at all. Such callous Conſciences hauehave many that though they bee wounded, and gaſhed with neuer ſuch foule ſins, yet their conſciences ſhrinke not, feele not a whit. Their Conſciences are like Gally-ſlaues backes, ſo be brawned ouer with often laſhing, that an ordinary laſh will not make them ſo much as once ſhucke in their ſhoulders. You hauehave many that can ſweare, not only your more ciuill oathes, of faith and troth, but thoſe ruffianly, and bloody oathes, of blood and wounds, and it neuer wounds their hearts a whit. You hauehave many that can commit foule ſins with leſſe touch then others can heare of them. You ſhall hauehave black-Smithes that are vſed to the frequent and daily handling of hot yron, hold an hot fire-coale in their hands, and langh, whilſt another would roare out. There bee thoſe that can be drunk day after day▪ that conſecrate whole Sabbaths to Venus and Bacchus, can giuegive themſelues vp to foule villanies, and yet not one twitch at the heart, not a ſnib, not a croſſe word from their Conſciences. Eſtrich-like they can concoct yron, & put it off as eaſily as another weake ſtomacke can doe gelly. They hauehave brought their hearts to that paſſe the drunkards body is in; Pro. 25. 35. They hauehave ſtricken mee and I was not ſicke, they hauehave beaten me and I felt it not. Their ſeared Conſciences hauehave no more feeling then our ſotted Drunkards hauehave in their drunkenneſſe, who though they hauehave many a knocke, and ſore bruiſe, yet feele it not. To this fearefull condition, and ſenſleſſe and ſeared ſtupidity of Conſcience many grow, & when they hauehave thus cruſted and brawned the ſame, then they hauehave their Conſciences at a good paſſe, becauſe they heare them not brawling within them. Alas how farre are ſuch from goodnes of Conſcience. In ſome ſenſe, thoſe hauehave worſe Conſciences then the Diuell himſelfe, who beleeues and trembles, whoſe Conſcience yet is not ſo ſeared, but it trembles at the thoughts of his deſerued damnation.
And howſoever theſe ſeared conſciences are quiet, yet there will come a day that this ſeared cruſtineſſe ſhall be ſcaled off, and thoſe conſciences which were not ſenſible of ſinne, ſhal be moſt ſenſible of pain: though they were paſt feeling in the committing of ſinne, yet they ſhall be all feeling in ſuffering puniſhment for ſinne. God will pare off that brawnineſſe from their conſciences, and will pare them ſo to the quick, that they ſhall feele and moſt ſenſibly feele that which here they would not feele. Tremble therefore at the hauing of ſuch a conſcience, in which there is neither vprightneſſe, nor peace; neither integrity, nor tranquillitie, but a ſenſleſſe & feareful ſtupiditie. Thus we hauehave ſeene what a good conſcience is.