Chapter X
Though natural conscience may prevail with men to do the duties required, yet not for conscience sake, in the sense which the Scripture gives.
Natural conscience prevails with men to do that good which it enjoins ; and that not only out of outward respects or worldly motives, but upon principles and workings of conscience. But the main question or thing to be searched out in this is, what it is in Scripture sense truly and accept ably to do a thing
* for conscience sake. For discovery of which I must have recourse, First, in the general, unto what I have before premised as an undoubted and undeniable conclusion (by which all our actions shall be judged at the latter day), that in the balance and estimate of the Scripture,
nothing is acceptably done for conscience sake, but what is principally done for (rod as our utmost end, and for conscience principally as respecting God as such. Which laid as a foundation (and it is the great foundation of the practic part of our religion), all under-pretences of doing things for
conscience, with which men soothe up themselves, will presently vanish and come to nothing. When the apostle speaks of the actings of that affection of sorrow for sin, 2 Cor. vii. 9,
* I rejoice not (says he) in that ye sorrowed, but in that ye sorrowed xara 0go\ that is, for and accord
ing to God, and as looking at God and his interest as the moving cause thereto. The rule there given concerning the acceptableness of that affec tion of sorrow for sin, for its object, holds true and good of conscience and
every faculty, and the workings of it. So that if you sorrow for sin com mitted against God, yet if not xara &ov, respecting him chiefly therein, it is not, in Scripture sense, accounted godly sorrow. And so, if you do never so much, out of never so violent and efficacious impulses of con
science, yet if conscience doth not therein move in the virtue of respect to God chiefly, it is not to be accounted a good conscience. And this latter is founded upon the same equitable reason whereupon the former is founded. For there is the same measure of holiness in one faculty that is to be found in another. If sorrow for sin stirs upon under-respects, and not for God, it is not true sorrow, although sorrow for sin. So if conscience in thee stirs up any under-respects (which it is capable of), and not chiefly for God, it is not conscience for God, though conscionable respects may move thee.
So, then, here lies the spirit of the answer to these allegations of the effects of natural conscience, which pierce through and annul them all, that in Scripture sense, and in the sense of true religion, to do a thing for con science sake is opposed to all such respects as conscience itself is capable of, if it fall short of this. I alleged one scripture to this purpose, unto which I shall join another, and compare both together : Rom. xiii. 5, Wherefore ye must needs be
subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. He had used, in the words afore, this motive for obedience to magistrates, that he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath (namely, God s wrath on thee for sin), if thou do evil ; and then infers, Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake ; namely, to be subject to the magistrate for wrath s sake as your end ; yea, for the con- /science to look up unto God, as he that pours out his wrath by him (as God
speaks, 2 Chron. xii. 7, My wrath shall not be poured out by the hand of Shishak ). Yea, and by the same reason, to look upon him as God
CHAP. X.] IN OUR SALVATION. 297
that will pour forth wrath himself immediately upon thee ; thus, to eye God is not for conscience sake. This is but to eye his wrath and thyself,
although God be objectively eyed in it. Therefore that respect which is
left for conscience to eye in God, is God himself, as severed from that or
the like respects. In opposition to that other of wrath, this is put, to obey for conscience sake. If you would be further satisfied herein, take and join with it 1 Peter ii. 19, This is thank-worthy, if for conscience towards God
ye suffer grief. He speaks to servants under froward masters, exhorting them to obey them (ver 18), as in the former place he spake to subjects to
obey their magistrates, and in both singleth forth God as the chief motive, and that unto conscience. And what in the one he termeth obedience for
conscience sake, in the other he termeth conscience of God, dia ffuveidqaiv
ecu. Now it being evident that God subjectively hath not a conscience
proper to him, his meaning therefore must be, that our consciences should
be the consciences of God; that is, of God tanquam objectum finale, as re
specting him as our end, whom our consciences should principally eye and
: This is acceptable with God (says he), as presenting to us this motive, this will take God s heart, and be pleasing to him. So look, as sorrow, because it is moved chiefly by what concerns him, is called sorrow xara Qzov, sorrow for God ; or
look unto, which ver. 20 following expounds
fear, when it is chiefly terminated on God, sanctifying and exalting God
in our hearts (as 1 Peter iii. 15) is styled the fear of God, as in like
* sincerity of God (so in the Greek, 2 Cor. i. 12) ; in like manner, conscience, when it respects God chiefly, and fetcheth its motives from him, it is termed conscience of God, as
sense sincerity of heart is termed
observing or respecting none else, or nothing else above him. It is God s
conscience, in that respect, more than thine own. Yea, and if conscience had not had other respects to have been moved by, this distinction, con
science of God, needed not to have been made ; as not that about sorrow, which for the same cause the apostle maketh (2 Cor. vii. 9) sorrow for God.
Now, this conclusion being thus firmly laid, those pretensions from the
effects of natural conscience (whether that it prevaileth to carry the heart on unto action, or that not outward respects move, but principles and work
ings of conscience do) instantly fall to the ground upon the putting this one
thing to the question, But is it conscience of God that moves thee ? This
in general.
2. But more particularly, what do men take for what is done for con
science sake, and so judge it to be integrity ?
1. Men ignorantly imagine that sincerity and integrity of heart lies in
opposition to outward respects and worldly considerations. So that if a man s heart be not chiefly moved by such kind of motives, as if the wind
of vainglory doth not set this mill a-going, nor the golden key of covetous
desires turn not about the wards, but if they be motions from conscience
within, then they think that their hearts must needs be sincere and right. But they do not consider,
(1.) That the spring of conscience within will move not only without, but sometimes against, all such respects. So in Judas, and so in Balaam, who
crossed their dearest worldly lusts ; and yet the chief motive it useth shall
not be taken from God himself.
2. Men will not see, nor are able to discern, that great beam that is in
the eye of conscience itself, not only because it is in their own eye, but also
because conscience itself is the supreme judge. They will not be brought
298 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK VI.
to imagine that self-love (that is the beam I mean) should be the predomi nant principle in conscience as wellj as in other faculties ; but they think
all that conscience acts must needs be sincere, not considering what that
means, that there is a defiled conscience, Titus i. 15, and that conscience, in its urging motives to obedience, shews itself as full of self as any other
faculty. As Christ says in another case, first make thy conscience good, and then the effects will be good ; otherwise, let it be conscience which
prevails and acts thee, it will nothing avail thee as to salvation.
3. Again, 3dly. Men judge those only to be outward respects which
are taken from things of this world, not dreaming that things of a higher order and nature (of which conscience alone is apprehensive) do become
by-respects, when conscience of God is not the chief.
4. Again, men consider not that all motives moving us, or prevailing with us unto that which the inward bent and stream and current of the heart is against, are in a true sense extrinsecal and outward motives, as
well as worldly, if they compare them with the movings and actings of a
regenerate and renewed conscience, which works naturally, and with the
joint concurrence of the rest of the faculties, as hath been said. That is
properly an outward motive which is against the hair, against the nature of
a thing, and pondm of its inclination, as when water is forced some way it would not run. Now if thy conscience moves thee (though it be thy con
science) to such duties as the frame of thine heart is wholly contrary and averse unto, as to pray, to read the word, to keep the Sabbath, unto which thou hast no inward genius nor inclination spiritual (these laws not being written in thine heart), in these thy conscience is a violent and forcible
worker, as truly as when outward and worldly respects do move. You will
all esteem the fear of men to be an outward motive and respect, and yet fear is an affection seated in our nature and within us, and so moves from within : and yet being pitched upon an object which overcomes us unto what else we would not do, we use to say an outward respect moves that man. The reason is the same of the motions of conscience, which is but such another principle within thee as fear is. If conscience, apprehending the wrath of God as an avenger, chiefly moves thee, thy heart is as much
wrung and wrested (when thine inclination is contrary to the thing com
manded) as when the fear of man doth move thee.
5. Again ; men consider not that God himself and his law doth then
only become an intrinsecal mover of thee in thy conscience, when thy whole
soul hath first begun to own, entertain, and receive him as thy chiefest end, and so thou hast taken in his interest as natural to thee as thine own, when God is become intimior intimo nostro, then, and not till then, it is that con
science moves thee as an internal principle, and not before. But if God and thy soul remain still at a distance, as strangers, and thou hast not yet closed with him, all the motives that are fetched from him are foreign and outward unto thee, as much as if drawn from any worldly thing whatever.
A second mistake concerning what is done for conscience is, that men
judge that what is done by means, or by the influence of conscience any way, that it is done for conscience sake, whereas many things are done,
1. Upon the stirrings of conscience.
2. Upon respects which pertain some way unto conscience only, which
yet fall short of conscience of God. And, therefore, although conscience be the principal mover and swayer of such effects, yet still in Scripture sense
it is not said to be done for conscience sake. When the workings or stir-
CHAP. X.] IN OUR SALVATION. 299
rings and troubles of conscience set men a-work, and carry them on to
actions, they then put such actions upon this account, that they are done
for conscience sake ; and this falls out in two cases.
(1.) The first ordinary, when at the importunity and continual doggings and yawlings of their consciences they do what they do to satisfy their con
science, which is the heathen s phrase, conscientm satisficiamus. Con science in many men continually lies at them to perform or do such or such a duty, and they do it. Conscience is as the disease of the wolf, if it be not fed daily with such and such duties performed, it will feed upon a man s own heart and breast. But this is not doing a thing for conscience sake, but indeed for quietness sake and for peace sake. As a man yields to, and doth many things to please a shrew, that is as a continual dropping in of rain ; a man in that case is not said to do it for her sake, but for a quiet
life. Now many men have shrewish consciences, as Delilah prevailed with Samson, she wearied him of his life, Judges xvi. 16, and as that judge, Luke xviii., yielded not for the woman s sake, but for her importunity, because she wearied him. Some men love to be at ease, to have nothing lie upon their thoughts, to sleep quietly, and to keep a perpetual calm and
serenity of mind ; and out of the same principle that they contrive to avoid other crosses, out of the same principle, and no other, they avoid being dogged by their consciences, take a great deal of pains to still the child. In this, though they act upon conscience, and obey conscience, yet still
they do it not for God in their consciences. A master sends a constable to fetch home a runaway servant, and the constable hauls and pulls him along
: he obeys properly neither the constable nor his master, but least of all his master. So it is here.
(2.) There are also over and above this ordinary working of the impor tunity of conscience from day to day, which prevails to action, some extra
ordinary terrors of conscience, which do seize upon men as arrests in the name of God, both calling upon us for arrears and non-payment of duties, as also restraining from evils we have formerly run into, and which, like a
mighty stream, carry on our hearts in the current and channel of obedience ; which was Judas s case : when the wrath of God was upon his conscience, he repented, confessed, restored, and would have done anything. Now if he had lived, could he have pleaded, or at the latter day should that plea be accepted, I did all this for conscience sake ? No ; and yet all this was done upon the impulses and violent provocations of conscience. As for
terrors from God, conscience is the only principle that is apprehensive of
* Father of
them, and all other faculties by means thereof : God is the
* chastiseth men s spirits, and conscience is that tender place which lies exposed to, and which is most sensible of his lash, and to be acted by this smart in doing, is but to be led by sense, as brutes are, and not by conscience, though conscience be that sensible part, the torture of which extorts it. Now this then is a manifest and gross mistake, that because conscience is the subject of such feelings and smarts, and there
spirits, and
fore what men do hereupon they do for conscience sake ; that they abstain from such a sin for conscience, whenas the true English and proper sense
you must resolve it into is the same with this : a rogue dares not forswear himself for his ears sake, nor a thief steal for his neck s sake ; so nor these men for their conscience sake, conscience being the part subjected to this
punishment, anxiety, and disquietment, as those members mentioned in those other cases use to be.
To conclude ; In these cases, and of these men, it may be said, that
300 THE WOKK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK VI.
conscience makes them do what they do, rather than that they make con
science of what is done, or of the doing of it ; or they may be said to do these things for conscience, in a philosophical sense, because actings and stirrings in conscience are the efficient cause of them ; but still not in a theological scripture sense, according to which (as hath been inculcated) a man is then only said to do a thing for conscience sake, when motives of God chiefly carry ;us on thereto.
The other head of mistakes mentioned was when such respects move us, as pertain only or properly unto conscience ; and when men act upon such
respects, they still think the action is done for conscience sake. This is
distinct from the former ; for the former speak of violent impulses of con
science efficiently, this speaks of conscionable considerations, or respects
objectively. Now there are many conscionable respects which belong only to conscience below God, which act men : which yet when they find, they persuade themselves they do it for pure conscience sake.
As, 1. There is a rational principle of equity and morality. A man is
alone : conscience prompts him, what thou wouldst not have another do to
thee, do not to another. This is current reason. And the reason of this
principle prevails with the man, and no outward *respect. In this case it
is certain that a mere conscionable respect prevailed. But how remote is
this from conscience of God ! This is conscience indeed of a just and good
principle, but not of God. Men do much to stick to their own principles. Men will not be false to their own rules, nor conscious to themselves that
* a law unto themselves ; and the truth is, that they made their own principles their God, and men are obedient to them as unto God, and satisfy them
they are so. The text here says of these Gentiles, that they were
selves herewith.
2. Conscience of the superiority of the law, and the subjection the heart hath to it, moves men much, and is a conscientious respect beyond all out ward respects. The reason of the law might and would move one, if the
case were between equals, if we and the law were supposed such. Job
says, chap. xxxi. 13, that he would hear his servants cause when they spoke reason; but the law hath a natural authority, majesty, superiority over the
conscience. It is the husband, the heart, the wife which (as Rom. vii. 1, 2)
* hath dominion over a man. The mere sight of their masters, with the
noise of their whips, put to flight a whole army of Russian slaves, and
brought them to obedience ; so upon the very hearing of a duty or a threat
ening, conscience acknowledgeth it ought to be subject. But still this is but conscience of the duty, or of the external part of the law, not conscience
of God.
3. There is conscience of the excellency that is in virtuous actions to adorn a man ; this is also a conscientious respect which natural conscience may apprehend. Plato said, that if virtue were seen with bodily eyes, it would ravish all men with the sight of it and the love of it. He saw some
thing in it made him say so. Conscience may see and approve an excel
lency in many virtues, and judge and affect it as their excellency. So did
Socrates. So Paul, Phil. iii. 7, accounted the righteousness of the law his
* accounted it gain to him. And therefore as the
excellency. He says he
ermine, counting her white skin her excellency, when she is hunted, will die
rather than go through a puddle to defile it ; so will many men die rather than blemish or stain their innocency, as it is their excellency. And so is
that of the heathen to be understood, Oderunt peccare boni, virtutis amore. And this men will not do though in secret ; they will not be conscious of a
CHAP. XI.] IN OUR SALVATION. 801
base act, they will not have occasion to think vilely of themselves. As a man that is of a curious, neat spirit, and affects it as an excellency, he will not do an uncomely act, no, not in secret ; it is against his spirit to do it ; so nor will men defile that excellency their conscience apprehends such. And it must be acknowledged that many of the heathen saw that in virtue which made them love it for its own excellency, and as it put an ornament on their souls. They professed to do things virtutis amove, for the love of
virtue ; they renounced vainglory and such outward respects in many of
their actions.* This indeed was a conscientious respect in them, yet still
it is not conscience of God. For if virtue be considered as an ornament
(as conscience may apprehend it, which sets a man up in his own esteem and others ) that adorns the mind, as learning doth, men may affect it, and
love it, and seek it, but still so as it falls into the same sphere and account that glorying in any other particular doth, be it either honour or learning ;
yea, and if it could be supposed that a man prized true grace thus, chiefly
as it is an ornament to a man s soul, but yet abstracted from God, and not directed in order to him, this would be as great a sin as those other lusts in men are, who value either honours or such other particular good things ; for the reason were the same. And yet this was apparently the heathens
highest excellency, who thus left God out even in their highest attainments. But Peter speaking of a virtue (and in itself but a moral virtue), meek
ness, 1 Pet. iii. 4, says, that as it is directed to God, being taken up and exercised out of conscience of God, and as it is acceptable to him (as the same Peter speaks in his second chapter) so it is an ornament of great
price with God. And then God himself is respected in it ; for nothing takes with God but what relates unto himself.
To conclude ; In all these there is conscience of an idol (as Paul speaks), be it virtue for itself, be it grace, but not conscience of God. These are all conscionable respects, drugs only found in conscience s natural garden ; but
still the main ingredient that should set all a-work is wanting.