Chapter II
That the natural light of conscience in unregenerate men hath a great influence
on their actions.
Now these things being premised, there are three parts which fill up the body of that discourse which I intend.
I. That in men whom the Scriptures pronounce unregenerate, this prin ciple of conscience hath had great and powerful effects upon their hearts.
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v6{j,o$ pvGixoc, ; rb ewsifof f)f*ft dirjeSucs no,} auroftidaxrov snoiriffz rqv yvuffiv TUV xai ruv ov rotovruv. 6 VKods^afAsvog rovg Qs/ovg vopovs Xoy/ff/^og Hierocles inaurea carmina Pythagorce. [It is only the last sentence of this extract that is from Hierocles. The rest is from Chrysostom, Orat. xii. ad Pop. AntJ] ED.
CHAP. II.] IN OUR SALVATION. 239
II. That these effects men of all professions, Jews, heathens, or nomi
nal Christians, are apt to mistake, in the judgments which they pass, con
cerning their own state and condition, when they think that an observance
of the dictates of conscience will make them acceptable to God. Yea, and
if they be professors of Christianity (that are unregenerate), and so here of
grace and regeneration, they take this to be true holiness, or sanctification.
I shall also herewith give the reasons and grounds of this mistake.
III. I shall make a discovery of this great counterfeit, and of its deficiency, and of its falling short of grace, in the light of it, and in the effects of it,
together with a detection and conviction of those mistakes.
I. In discoursing of the first head, there are two things to be treated of.
1. I shall prove that in men whom the Scripture pronounceth unregene
rate, there are such powerful effects of conscience to be found.
2. I shall shew what those effects particularly are.
1. To prove that, in unregenerate men, there are powerful effects of con
science, I shall give instance in three sorts of men, in whom God hath
given demonstration thereof, how far, and how high, this principle of con
science may and hath been elevated,^ and what effects it may have, and
yet fall short of the glory of God, thereby more to magnify his sanctifying
grace.
(1.) The first instance is of heathens under mere nature, which the writ
ings of the heathens are records of, and which are indeed the truest com ments upon this treatise of Rom. ii.
(2.) The second instance is of Jews under the lav/, whereof the Pharisees, and the carnal Jews under the Old Testament, are evidences. All the
Scribes and Pharisees (whatever some of them might be) were not gross
hypocrites, but many were serious in what they did, and their consciences
being greatly enlightened in the law, they acted according unto conscience. We have an instance, both of that young man, who said he had kept the commandments from his youth, and also of the scribe : Mark xii. 32-34,
4 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth : for
there is one God ; and there is none other but he : and to love him with
all thy heart, and with all thy understanding, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than
all whole burntofferings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. He had in his light pitched upon the first commandment of duties
to be directed immediately to God himself, and his conscience rested not
in outward performances, sacrifices and burntofferings, but the light in it had dictated to him further, although it was not able to mould his heart
thereunto. For he says expressly, that to love God with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the
strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt -offerings and sacrifices. And Christ, that discerned his heart, gives him this approbation of him : Thou art not far from the kingdom of God ; which for that mere notion, if this scribe had been in his life a gross hypo
crite, Christ would never have given. But yet this man, wanting that love
to God whereof his conscience had the light (for conscience, never so much
enlightened, will never work love to God), he fell short (as the word else where is), for otherwise there is not any that thus truly love God, who is
far from the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Paul also giveth this record of many of the Jews his countrymen
: Rom. x. 2, I bear them record, they have a zeal of God ; that is, a study and care to please God in keeping of
240 TEE WOEK OF THE HOLY GHOST [Booi
the law (of the works and righteousness whereof he there speaks, and had
spoken, chap ix., the last foregoing verses), which zeal in their affections conscience had provoked and stirred up.
But the eminentest instance of all other in that kind is Paul himself, whom God did set up, before conversion, as the highest pattern in the Jewish religion ; as after conversion, in the Christian. Paul speaking of
himself, whilst a pharisee still, tells us how zealous his religion made him, as to the persecuting the opposite party, so to the observation of that right eousness of the law, Gal. i. 14, and Phil. iii. 6, Concerning zeal, perse cuting the church ; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blame
less : that is, I was so truly zealous for the law, that I persecuted what way was opposite to it. Now, what made him so ? It was conscience, Acts xxvi. 9, he verily thought that he ought to do so. Now that prin
ciple in us which convinceth that we ought to do a thing, is conscience, Acts xxiii. 1. That apology which Paul, being set before the council, was about to make, but was broke off by the high priest, and the tumult, runs
thus, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. Many of you are not ignorant how most interpreters do understand this speech as relating to, and taking in the whole of his life, not of Christianity only, but even in Judaism also, for he doth not by any express word date it from his conversion. He doth not say, since I turned Christian, or was converted to the faith ; but only says,
* until this
1 which indefinitely includes the whole of his life till then. And his manner was, in telling the story of his conversion, to begin with his exact ness in observing the law before his conversion (which he was about to
day,
relate, but that he is interrupted here), which outward obedience, because of
its conformity to the principle of it, is frequently termed a good conscience, that is, a good or regular life conformed to and springing from conscience. And that which Paul here intendeth in reference to that part of his life under pharisaism, is all one and the same with what elsewhere he saith, Phil. iii. 6, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But there were a third sort, in whom conscience enlightened may be sup posed yet further improved in the effect of it, when yet it fell short of grace. There were those who were supernaturally enlightened by the gospel, of whom Paul, Heb. vi., and Christ s parables speak. Such light the under
standing of man, not renewed, is capable of, and it lies exposed for God to shoot into it, without infusing a new habit, or spiritualis-ing that faculty. It lies exposed also unto influences and effects of the promises of the gos
pel, working upon self-love in the will and affections, with tastings of the powers of the world to come. Now when the light of the gospel is added to the light of the law, and when a supernatural light of things revealed in the gospel is added to that of conscience in the law, conscience cometh to have its dominions enlarged, and is more strengthened and backed hereby. Now in such, so wrought on by the gospel, and also the law, and in whose hearts both these meet, the effects must needs be supposed more powerful and vigorous, because there is brought in a stronger light of God himself, in the efficacy of knowing whom, more or less, the obligation and power of
conscience lies. An instance that mentions the conjunction of both these in express words is hard perhaps to meet withal ; although, where such
supernatural enlightening in things of the gospel falls out to be in such as have fallen away, it must necessarily be supposed that there is a more
vigorous actuating and stirring that light and principle of conscience that doth accompany the same ; especially considering that the workings of the
CHAP. II.] IN OUR SALVATION. 241
law upon conscience is that which prepares men s hearts (both that are saved or otherwise fall away) for their listening after, and so receiving in, the supernatural truths of the gospel. Howsoever, thus much is evident
to the thing in hand, that these Jews, of all other, who were of the sect of
the Pharisees, that made conscience of the law, when they came to be en
lightened by the gospel, became the raisers and fomenters of that great opposition to the gospel which was the ruin of many professors in those
* There
primitive times. Of these Pharisees mention is made, Acts xv. 5,
rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed (and some, as in
charity we are to think, savingly, who yet were the defenders of that great
error), saying, It was needful to circumcise men that believed, and to teach them to keep the law of Moses ; that is, the whole of it, which cir cumcision did oblige unto. As these men had faith superadded, so I may say of them, as Paul of some Gentiles, they had a conscience of that idol, the law, to that day ; and their conscience having been inured to that yoke, knew not how to discharge itself so soon of that subjection (I speak as to
that sense mentioned), and so by that addition of faith, conscience was more
provoked to be zealous for the law, and to observe it, that they might keep in with God.
Now, what the estate of these particular persons there mentioned was, we know not, nor the issue of them as to God ; yet this we are sure of, that many of the followers of that doctrine, which these there first did broach, and who had embraced the faith upon a supernatural light (for else none in those times would easily have professed it) did out of the same principle of conscience urge and profess obedience to that whole law of Moses, and
set out therein with the same zeal in both (for the reality of it) that these
Pharisees, that were the first authors of that opinion, did. It was the pro fession of making conscience, and of their obligation to God s command, which was the ground of that zeal ; and yet we are sure that many of them
are branded to have been apostates to the faith in the end. And I observe
that when Paul twice speaks of this kind of professors (as he vouchsafes to name them, Tit. i. 16), who thus urged the observation of the law as well
as faith in the gospel, he still makes mention withal of faith and conscience. For the latter was that which these so much pretended ; for the obligation of the law (they contended for) did principally respect conscience as the
seal of it, and as subject to it, and over which it had dominion in men. Thus Paul writes, 1 Tim. i., concerning some at Ephesus who pressed the law in the sense these Pharisees had done, as well as they pressed faith, as
appears by ver. 7, 8. And because they did urge this upon pretence of
conscience, therefore, in opposition to that religion of theirs, which they made up both of law and gospel in an untoward mixture, Paul professeth the true religion (or that part of it which relateth to the commandments) to be this, ver. 5-7,
* Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a
pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned
: from which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling ; desiring to be
teachers of the law ; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. He by these cords* intimates to us, that though these men did
profess the same faith in Christ, yet their zeal to the law, for which they pretended conscience, was the cause of their swerving from both, they never having had the true genuine or saving principle of either. And
therefore, in his enumeration of the saving principles of faith and a good conscience, he upon occasion of them is forced to distinguish upon these
* Qu. words ? ED. VOL VI. Q
242 THE WOKE OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK VI.
* The end of the commandment is
principles, as is evident by those cords,*
chanty, out of a pure heart, of a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. And why is it he should use this distinction there, when he had occasion
to speak of these men, but to put the difference between faith, and such a
conscience, and principle of zeal in religion, which is denied ? In distinc
tion unto which he calls the principle of true holiness, a good conscience,
as he had characterised true and saving faith with this of herf unfeigned
faith, and a pure heart as the effect of both these ; for a purified heart
is expressly made the effect of faith, Acts xv. 9. So then there is a con
science zealous of religion, that is joined with a pure heart, and there is a
conscience that is joined with a defiled heart, and that in men enlightened
in religion, which Paul, in his Epistle to Titus, thus expresseth, in words
near akin to those he useth in Timothy of the same sort of professors
: but unto them that are defiled and
Unto the pure are all things pure
unbelieving, that have a faith that purifies not the heart, but leaves it still
in its natural defilements, and so as good as no faith, and therefore he
terms them unbelievers still, even in their mind and conscience, which
yet are the supremest and purest part in them, even these remain defiled, however enlightened, and whatever conscience of the law they do pretend. Now, therefore, if their consciences remain defiled, saith he, no wonder if
in the end of their profession their lives prove also such, ver. 16 ; for as
Christ says, If the light be darkness, how great is that darkness ! But if
the eye be single, the whole body is full of light. And in these two dis
courses compared, Paul discovers and rips up the inwards of true profes
sion and false. In the practice of religion mentioned in the one, viz., that
of Titus, he resolves apostasy and falling away into its true causes. And
in this other, to Timothy, speaking of the contrary, sincere obedience, that
holds out to the end, he resolves his perseverance unto its true causes also.
In the one he tells us that their consciences, which having been enlightened, had been the groundwork of their zeal for the law, and of obedience to it, had yet continued and remained defiled notwithstanding all that light. In the other he tells us that they have obtained such a good conscience and faith unfeigned, as had purified the heart. Neither is his scope in
his Epistle to Titus only to shew what at present their consciences were become through sinning, but to resolve things into their causes (as in that
of Timothy he had done), shewing that this defect had been in their pro
fession from the first of it, in that their consciences and minds had re mained in their natural defilement. And thence all their best actions, as
well as their outward legal observations, had become defiled to them, and
in the end had wrought out that light and goodness that had any impression upon them.
2. I come now to shew what effects a natural conscience may and doth
produce in men unregenerate. The instances I give of these effects shall
be only such as have been found in heathens and Jews, of whom it must
needs be acknowledged that they were not renewed. And such effects, even in professors of Christianity who are not savingly regenerated, are
still but of the same kind, only are more heightened by the addition of
gospel light, more clearly revealing God ; and also perhaps in such per sons these effects are extended objectively unto more duties than came to
the cognizance of either Jew or Gentile. The reason why this addition of
gospel and supernatural light must needs increase the same effects more
powerfully, is because (as I said) conscience hath in all men two things * Qu words ? ED. Qu. other ? ED.
CHAP. II.] IN OUR SALVATION. 243
: 1. The law, or rule ; 2. God as the judge giving that law; and from its eyeing, more or less, God as the judge, doth arise that autho
still in its eye
rity that is in the dictates of conscience. And hence, as the conscience doth more clearly and fully take in light from God, and is thereby con vinced of him and his greatness, and that the rules given are from him, proportionably must these effects of conscience become more powerful, and work more strongly upon the heart ; yet so as still this light, and these effects, are but of the same kind with those that are found in heathens or Jews.
(1.) I shall give instances of these effects in respect of what is good.
[l.J Conscience in a natural and unregenerate man may and doth often
pass an act, both of assent and approbation, to what is a good and holy duty, and to what the law says, or to the duties and commands thereof, that they are good, and just, and right ; otherwise it could not accuse a man for what is evil, unless it secretly approved of what is good. Video meliora proboque, says Medea in Ovid : I see what is better, and approve of it, though I choose and pursue the worse. Seneca* also, speaking of the worst of men, says that virtue hath that amiableness in it that it is in
grafted in those that are most wicked, to approve the things that are good and best. They are heathens that speak these things ; and as for the
Jews, Paul expressly says, Rom. ii. 18, Thou approvest the things that are more excellent, which is a phrase suitable to the other, Probo meliora. And this is one respect for which they are said to be under the law, and the law to have power or dominion over a man, as Rom. vii. 1, 2, even because men have a principle in them capable of its love, and naturally subjected thereunto, which maketh them acknowledge and own it for their
lord. Now, it could no way bring men under that subjection and bondage but by this, that there is something in this principle of conscience unto which this law approves its equity and justness ; or, to use the apostle s
phrase, 2 Cor. iv. 2, commendeth itself to every man s conscience. And thus the law, held forth in a godly man s life, in the concrete, approves itself to a wicked man. Saul could not but acknowledge of David,
* Thou art more righteous than I. And in the abstract it doth it much more. In the story of the Acts, the apostle appeals to their consciences (as Socrates before had done to his heathen judges), whether it were not better to obey God than men ; for their natural consciences could not but so ad
judge it.
[2.] Natural conscience not only assents to what the law commands as
good, but it commends it to a man as his duty, and lays it as an injunction upon him to do it. So says Paul, I verily thought with myself that I
ought to do many things, &c., Acts xxvi. 9. Therefore it is called con-
scientia by some, because it lays an obligation upon a man ; and so it is
quasi concludens scientia, which binds him to his good behaviour.
[3.] It provoketh, yea, prevails, with men to do what it shews them to be good, and their particular duty. It is not a sleeping, idle principle, but active ; for so says the apostle of the heathens, Rom. ii. 14, They did by nature the things of the law, as instigated thereto by conscience. For he renders that as the ground of it, that they were a law unto themselves. So Herod, as you know, did many things which John the Baptist urged upon his conscience out of the word.
[4.J In these their acting what is good, the workings of conscience are the main engines which set them to work, and not simply outward respects.
* Adeo gratiosa est virtus ut insitum etiam mails sit probare meliora. Seneca, Ep. i.
244 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK VI.
Thus Pan! resolves what he did in his unregeneracy unto this principle :
* I verily thought I ought to do it, says he ; and so did what he did, Acts
k. 15. It also appears in this, that a man will go against all outward re
spects merely to satisfy his conscience, as Judas did, when he confessed
and restored the money for which he had betrayed Christ ; wherein he did
an act cross to the dearest lusts in him, his credit and his covetousness.
Conscientia satisfaciamm, says Seneca, nihil in famam laboremus : Let us
satisfy conscience, no matter for credit.
[5.] Hence also natural conscience may in these actions have a real re
spect to God, to whom (as was said) conscience looks, and from whom it
fetcheth its binding power ; so as the man takes his command in, as a con
sideration that moves him : John xvi. 2, He that killeth you shall think
he doth God good service, that is, he shall look upon it as a service done
to God, and have some respect to him in it. And though this is spoken of
such actions as materially in themselves were not service to God, but the
contrary, yet the inward motive it proceeded from was, that they judged it
a service unto God. And therefore when it falls to be in itself a duty, con-,
science presseth it much more, and urgeth it upon this motive, Eom. x. 1. The carnal Jew is said to have a zeal of God, or for God. Thus also we
read of carnal and wicked men who out of awe, and fear, and respect to him do forbear some sins :
* It is in my power, says Laban to Jacob, Gen.
* but the God of your father spake to me, saying, Take heed thou
xxxi. 29 :
speak to Jacob neither good nor evil. God commanded Balaam also that
he should not curse the Israelites ; and Balaam kept to that command, and
durst not go outwardly cross to it, although inwardly he desired leave to
have done it, that so he might be rewarded by Balak. Yea, he therefore
durst not do it, because of the word of the Lord, Num. xxii. 18. So Cyrus
says of Ezra, Ezra i. 2, that the God of heaven had charged him to build
a house for him.
[6.] When a man hath done what conscience, and God in his conscience, have commanded, he hath much peace in it, for it excuseth him, as the text,
Rom. ii. 15, says. Thus a heathen also could say, Recte fecisse merx est;
it is reward enough to do well. Therefore Paul s heart was^ kept alive, Eom. vii., in joy and peace, by doing what the law required ; so also a man
will be exceeding glad when such a sin is avoided, or if a sin take not full
effect, as Darius was glad when Daniel was alive, Dan. vi. 23.
(2.) I shall give instances of the workings of conscience, in relation unto
evil, either sins of commission, or omission of duties.
[1.] Conscience in natural men causeth a reluctancy and a commotion of
affections against a sin, before the commission of it, and a displacency in
committing of it. Thus Darius, a heathen, Dan. vi. 14, was so displeased with himself, when he was put upon putting to death so just a man as his
conscience told him that Daniel was. We may observe it in Herod also, Mark vi. 26 : when John the Baptist s head was required of him, you read what a reluctancy he had, and sorrow against it ; he was exceeding sorry, ver. 26, and it was his conscience that wrought that in him, for, ver. 20, it
is said that he observed John, because he was a just and an holy man ;
yet, for his oath s and lust s sake, he murdered him, though to have parted with half his kingdom would not have troubled him so much.
[2.] Conscience excites in men an endeavour to avoid and decline evil. So Darius set his heart to deliver Daniel, and he laboured till evening, Dan. vi. 14 ; so Pilate did all he could, a great while, to free his hands of
the guilt of Christ s death by saving of him.
CHAP. III.] IN OUE SALVATION. 245
[3.J It worketh much sorrow and repentance after sinning. So, of Darius we read, vi. 18, that he was troubled all night, could not eat his
meat, and his sleep departed from him ; and thus the apostle, Rom. ii. 15, says of the heathens, that their consciences do accuse them. Thus Judas
also, Mat. xxvii. 4, 5, says, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and
departed, and went and hanged himself. And (by the way) here are all the parts and ingredients that the papists require in repentance : 1. Con
trition : He repented himself. 2. Confession: I have sinned in betray ing innocent blood. 3. Restitution and satisfaction : He cast down the
silver pieces that had betrayed him to that sin. 4. He purposes never to return to it, as Saul resolved not to kill David (his conscience was overcome with his righteousness), and as Pharaoh resolved to let the people go.
These things might be enlarged, and other instances given ; but I have
given instances of such as all must needs acknowledge to have been unre-
generate men.