AS there are several books of God, which he hath written for the good of all the children of men; so there are two spe­cial books, by which the Lord will procēed in Iudgement against all the sons and daughters of men. The books which God hath given to the children of men for their use and comfort of salvation, are these: First, and chiefly, the books of the Old and New Testament: where in [...]esus Christ in all his Offices, King, Priest, [...]nd Prophet, for us to rule and guide us by his Spirit in our hearts, is made known and de­ [...]ared unto us. And therein likewise is set [Page]down how every one of us ought to live, an [...] demean himself in this present world; with [...] ­veral fearful Examples of Gods heavy judg [...] ­ments against wicked and notorious sinner in drowning the old World for their sins a [...] wickedness, as you may sée in the sixth of G [...] ­nesis. So likewise in destroying Sodom & G [...] ­morrah by fire from Heaven, Gen. 19.24, 2 [...] And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gom [...] ­rah Fire and Brimstone, and over threw tho [...] Cities, and all their inhabitants. With sund [...] ot her fearful examples of Gods heavy wra [...] and indignation, both against sin and sinner in general & particular: All which, as St. Ju [...] saith in his Epistle, are set forth for our exam­ples, suffering the vengeance of the etern [...] fire. Not for our examples, that we should [...] as they did; but that we should be afraid to [...] as they did, to commit such sins, lest the Lo [...] lay upon us such, or more heavier weights wrath and vengeance.

So likewise in the book of the Scripture, set forth the blessed and happy estate and con­dition of all the godly, both in this life, & in the life to come, as̄ you may sée, Psa. 1. and 15. and 91. The godly man shall be delivered from the snare of the Fowler, and from the noisome P [...] ­stilence. And because he hath made the Lo [...] his refuge, there shall no evil befal him: So I [Page]shall give his Angels charge over him, for to [...]eep him in all his ways, v. 80, 21. The joys [...]t are prepared for the godly, and the eternal [...]orments that are appointed for the wicked, [...]e here likewise set forth in the Book of the [...]cripture, as you may sée, Mat. 15.34, 41. To [...]e godly, Come ye blessed of my Father (saith [...]hrist) inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, [...]om the beginning of the world, But to the [...]godly, Depart from me ye cursed into ever­ [...]sting fire, prepared for the devil & his Angels.

Another great book of God is the book of the [...]reature, containing those mighty works both [...] the Creation and Providence: wherein the [...]lmightiness, Power, and Goodness of God [...]e so plainly written, that he that runs may [...]ad and sée it: for as the Apostle saith, Rom. [...]. The invisible things of him from the cre­ [...]ion of the world are clearly seen, being un­ [...]erstood, saith the Apostle, by the things that [...]e made, even his eternal power & Godhead, that they are without excuse. Who, but an [...]lmighty God could out of nothing create all things? and being created, rule and govern all things: As David saith, It is nothing but the [...]lmighty Power and Providence of God that [...]ears up the earth, and upholds the foundati­on thereof. And this Book even the very hea­ [...]ens, who know not God in his word, who [Page]never heard of Iesus Christ or Salvation, are acquainted with: they (I say) by séeing and reading the mighty works of God in y ^e world, do confess and say, Verily their is God; and none but a God could create those glorious cretures, the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

So likewise there are two special Books, by which God will judge all the sons and daugh­ters of men at the last. And these are, first, the book of his remembrance written by himself; wherein the lives of all men, yea, their very thoughts are recorded, as David saith, Psa 94.11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vanity. And Psa. 129: 1, 2, 3, 4. saith David, O Lord thou hast searched me, and known me; thou knowest my down-sitting, and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Thou compasseth my path and my ly­ing down, and art acquainted with all my ways. There is not a word in my mouth, but thou O Lord knowest it altogether. And al­though the heart of man, as Jeremiah saith, Jer. 17.9, 10. is deceitful above all things: yet God hath exactly known every turning & cor­ner thereof: I the Lord know the heart, (saith he) I try the reins. There is nothing can be hid from his eternal all-seeing eye.

And then secondly, there is the book of coll­science, in which is exactly written all our acti­ons, [Page]thoughts, words, and deeds; and accor­ding to this book of conscience, and what is therein written, will the Lord proceed in judg­ment: and every mans conscience shall be his own Judge. Saith God, what hast thou done? How hast thou lived in the World? Why thus and thus have I lived, (saith Conscience.) Conscience will then speak the truth, and no­thing but the truth. O Lord (saith a wicked mans conscience) I have dishonoured thy name, I have abused thy grace and mercy, in [...]urning it into wantonness. I have abused thy treatures, by wastful and riotous spending, to please and satisfie my lust, saith the Prodigal mans conscience. And by chambring and wan­tonness, by gaming and dicing away precious [...]ime, faith the lascivious and voluptuous mans conscience. Thou gavest me times and [...]easons of grace & mercy, and many precious [...]pportunities, and soul-advantages, whereby I might have wrought out my own salvation [...]ith fear and trembling, and as Peter saith, I might have made my calling and election sure [...]o mine own soul, but instead of working out my own salvation with fear and trembling, & [...]n making my calling and election sure, I have brought out my own damnation, without ei­ther fear or wit, and made my self sure of eter­nal and everlasting wrath and condemnation, [Page]saith méer moral, formal and prophane chri­stians consciences. Ah Lord (saith the dissem­bling Hypocrites conscience) I have béen but an outside Christian; I have gone to Church but onely as dogs do, for fashion sake, and to be looked upon, & estéemed among my neighbours I have made a shew indéed and pretence of Re­ligion and holiness, but it hath been but a meer show; I have altogether denied the power and practice of it in my life and conversation, as it is, Tit. 1.16. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abo­minable, and disobedient, and to every good Work reprobate. And why so? because as he saith in the 15 vers. Their minds and consci­ences are defiled. Ah, my conscience told m [...] several times, that I was but an Hypocrite, a meer painted Sepulchre, fair without, but foul within: O but I would not hear conscience then, but slighted and neglected him: Ah, but now my conscience makes me hear him whe­ther I will or no. Therefore Lord do with m [...] what thou pleasest; true and righteous art thou in all thy dealings towards me, be they never so harsh, they are but y ^e just reward of mine ini­quities. And saith the covetous mans consci­ence, and the griping, cruel, extorting Vserer [...] consciences, (Lord) I confess I have been covetous wretch, but I have not coveted after [Page]heaven; it hath been my whole trade and busi­ness to cozen and cheat others, and to gripe and grind the faces of the poor, and all that I could to undo others: Aut alas for me, what have I done? I have quite and clean undone my own soul, & that to all eternity: I have been very cruel and unmerciful to others; I would not forgive my poor brethren in the least. O Lord I deserve no mercy at thy hands, the hot­test place will be too cold for me.

What have you done with all your wealth, (saith God to rich men) all those great estates, and possessions which I lent to you, or rather intrusted you with as stewards? How have you improved them? what of them have you laid out or lent to me again, in releiving my poor mem­bers? What good have you gotten to your own souls by them? Have you laid up any thing in store for eternal life? O no (saith conscience) I have not; Lord I have not: But this I have done; I have treasured up wrath against the day of wrath. My gold and silver is rusted, my riches are corrupted, & myrich garments moth­eatén, as S. James saith in his 5. ch. 12, 13, 14. v. My gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them is now a witness against me to condemn me, & eats my flesh as if it were fire. And now also behold y ^e hire of y ^e laborers which have reap­ed down my field, which I kept back by fraud [Page]cryeth, and the crys of them which have reap­ed are entred into the ears of the Lord of Sab­baths: I have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, and I have nourished my heart as in a day of slaughter. I told you (saith conscience) that for all your pleasures, and for all your riches, and for all your greatness and delights, you must come to judgement, & give an account to God of all your actions, and for all your wealth: and how, and which way you spent every penny that he lent you: Did I not tell you saith conscience? True it is my consci­ence told me; but I slighted conscience as a thing of no value or account. Ah miserable man that I was, to slight this voice of conscience! wo unto me, my punishment is less then mine iniquities deserve. Thus and thus will mens consciences deal with them before the Lord.

When as Peter denied his Lord & Master, his conscience let him alone once, yea, twice, but the third time the Cock crew, and Peters heart smote him for what be had done; and he went forth and wept bitterly. Peter did not go about to stop y ^e mouth of his conscience, as Ju­das did, & so banged himself: no, Peter he closed with the voice of his conscience, and so by his true & unfeigned repentance obtained mercy.

So likewise David when the Prophet Nathan in (2 Sam. 12.13.) had by the Parable of the [Page]Ew-lamb shewed David the evil of his sins, pr [...] ­sently David was convinced in his conscienc [...] of the horridness of his sins? and David sai [...] unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. Have mercy upon me (saith David, Psalm. 51. the Psalm of his Repentance) according to thy loving kindness: According to the multi­tude of thy tender mercies blot out my trans­gressions. Wash me throughly from mine ini­quity, and cleans me from my sin. For I ac­knowledge my transgressions, and my sin is before me. Against thee, even thee onely have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. Da­vid had a very tender conscience; for when he did cut off Sauls skirt, his heart smote him, his conscience accused him, as you may sée, 5 Sam. 24.5. O, but how many wicked men are there now, whose consciences tell them over and over, again and again of their sins, & yet for all that, they stop their ears against conscience. How many times doth the beastly Drunkards conscience, the prophane Swear­ers, y ^e Sabbath-breakers consciences tell them of their sins? and yet notwithstanding for all the checks of conscience, they will go on in their sins, and fill up the measures of their iniquities, and so makes conscience to fill up his black scroll of indictments against them, whereby they are everlastingly condemned: O [Page]if men would but be convinced in their consci­ences of the evil of their ways, when their con­science tells them of it, how many thousands might be brought home by repentance to life eternal, who now run head-long to the Pit of destruction? I am perswaded, that many who cozen and cheat by undermining and over-sel­ling, using false and light weights and mea­sures, cannot chuse but meet with many checks from their consciences, and O that men would be convinced of this great evil.

Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy by false weights and measures: O be convin­ced in thy conscience! Make Conscience thy friend now by forsaking thy evil Practices, lest Conscience prove thy foe to torment thee for ever. But men now adays, instead of being con­vinced of their consciences of the evil of their ways, are not ashamed to commit all manner of abominations, & that with greediness; and then lay all the blame upon their consciences: and why so? It was my conscience, say they, As many of our cursed Diabolical Ranters, Quakers, and notorious wicked Libertines in these our days, have laid all their impieties and horrid blaspemies, upon their consciences. Ask them but y ^e reason why they deny Christ and the Scripture, and cast off Ordinance, and the Ministry of Christ, and live as they list, and [Page]refuse subjection to Magistrates, and in their actions become worse then beasts? Why, they do hold such damnable and devillish Opinions both against God and Christ; yea, against hu­manity it self? Ask them the reason of these things, and what do they say? It is from the Light within us; it is the liberty of our con­sciences; and have not we fought for liberty of Conscience? Ah cursed wretches, the Light within you is darkness! Is this the liberty of thy conscience; No, no, this is the liberty of thy lusts, and the delnsions of the Devil: thou hast seared thy conscience with a hot Iron; but yet at last, thy conscience, though thou hast de­filed it never so much, will put the saddle upon the right horse, and charge thee home with all the blame. Is liberty of conscience a libérty to sin? No, God forbid; Shall we sin (saith S. Paul, Rom. 6.1.) that grace may abound? No, God forbid. I dare not (saith a gracious heart) my conscience tells me I must not. How shall I (saith Joseph, Gen. 39.9.) do this great wicked­ness and sin against God? The grace of God (saith the Apostle, Tit. 2.11.) that brings salva­tion, teacheth me to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world: And not to live as we list, which is a sign of no grace at all.

A truly tender conscience will be very ten­der [Page]of committing sin, and will have a circum­spect care over himself how he walks, and how he lives, that so the name of God and of Christ be not blasphemed: but in these last and worst of times, wherein men, as S. Paul saith, make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience, men have not minded this at all, but have taken a full liberty to commit all manner of sins. And I pray God that this sin be not charged upon those, who instead of restraining men from sin, a punishing them for sin, have tollerated them to sin, if not countenanced them to sin. But let men take beed how they sin, because grace a­bounds. For saith the Apostle, Heb. 10.26, 27. If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignati­on from the Lord. For the wrath of God (Rom. 1.18.) is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth of God in unrighteous­ness. Read these two texts, and tremble all ye that take liberty to sin, because the grace of God hath abounded. How will ye be able to look either God or conscience in the face: cer­tainly you will be never able to do it, unless you repent: for if men will sin willingly, not­withstanding all their checks of conscience, [Page]their conscience will condemn them irresistably before the Lord. For certain it is, there is a conscience in every man, that sées & observes, and takes notice of all his ways, and will kéep a just account of them; and so be a witness either for, or against the soul, at the day of Iudgement. What was it that made the Apo­stles so joyful in all their trouble and persecuti­ons? was it not the witness of their conscien­ces? sée 2 Cor. 1.12. Our rejoycing is this (saith St. Paul) the testimony of our conscience. What was it made Paul & Silas sing in prison for joy? was it not that their consciences told them they were happy & blessed men, notwith­standing all their sufferings and reproaches?

Now what conscience is, I shall briefly shew you, and so conclude: Conscience is a thing with which God endued the soul of man by crea­tion, and is for our comfort, if we live well as we ought to do; but will be a dreadful terror to all those that live and dye in their sins. For this conscience was in Adam before his fall: though not as a condemner till his fall: for where there is no sin, what néedeth an accuser? So long as Adam kept the commands of God, there was no cause for conscience to condemn him: but as soon as ever Adam transgrest, his conscience flew in his face, which made him fly from y ^e face of God, as you may sée, Gen. 3.7, 8. [Page]The eyes of them both were opened: their con­science accused, and they hid themselves. And this conscience is onely in men and women: for bruit beasts wanting reason, are not capa­ble of conscience, and the beasts when they dy, there is an end of them: but it is not so with man, for conscience in man followeth the man further then the grave: for if men might bury their consciences with them in their Graves, they might be happy, notwihstanding al their a­buses of conscience? for men oftentimes against all reason, equity or conscience, doth worse then the worst of beasts. And this conscience kéep­eth his Court in the heart, and there sits upon the life or death of the soul; and according as he finds every mans work, so doth he pass sen­tence of condemnation or absolution; for there is no briving of conscience, conscience will speak the truth of every mans ways before the Lord, be they good, or be they evil. If our hearts condemn us (saith S. John, 1 Joh. 2.10.) God is greater then our heart, y ^t is our conscience.

And God hath given this power to consci­ence, because men should have no plea of excuse before the Lord. It was not Pilates washing of his hands, & saying, I am guiltless of the blood of this just man, that could wash away the guilt of Christs blood from his conscience: Pilates Conscience told him that Christ was a just [Page]man, and that he saw no cause of death in him at all, Luk. 23.23. and yet cursed Pilate contra­ty to the light of his own conscience, delivered the Lord of life into the hands of bloody men to be crucified, and so brought the guilt of his blood upon his own soul.

He that will not endure conscience to reprove him for his sins, certainly he loves to go to hell without controul: and he that will not endure Conscience to tell him of his sins here, shall whether he will or no, suffer sufficient torment for his sins hereafter: For an evil Conscience is a hell to the soul here, and shall be the hell of hels hereafter.

Now then, if there be such a thing in man as conscience, and that his conscience shall either justifie or condenm him; then let every man take héed how he orders his conversation in the world: do not give leave to your selves to think, say, or do any thing, but what you are willing to own before the Lord at the last day. There­fore let every one of us so think, and so speak, [...]nd so do, that we may not have a conscience to condemn us: But let us so live as those that expect to have conscience witness for them be­fore the Lord, that with godly sincerity they have had their conversation in this world. But what multitudes are there in the world, that be as if there were no conscience at all; nei­ther [Page]God nor Devil, nor Heaven nor Hell: Whose God is their belly, and whose end is de­struction, (as S. Paul saith, Phil. 3.19.) who de­clare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not: Wo­unto them (saith the Lord) they have rewar­ded evil to themselves, Isa. 3.9. this may be said of thousands among us, whose countenance te­stifie against them; their wanton carriages, painted faces, naked breasts, powdred locks, [...] other antick fashions, testifie against thousands both of men and women, y ^e they do little mind this great truth; that conscience can, and will declare all their doings to God. Proud Ha­mans, drunken Nabals, and whoring Jesabel declare their sin as Sodom, & hide it not; and as for Conscience they turn him off: But in these miserable wretches know this, as the pro­phet saith, Wo unto them who have reward [...] evil unto themselves. They have made a long black bloody vill for conscience to open again [...] them at the last day of the term of their lives, a [...] soon as ever their souls are departed from the [...] bodies, sentence shall be passed against them according to the light and testimony of the [...] own consciences.

Séeing then Conscience will give testimon [...] of every ones ways, let us not slight Cons [...] ­ence, let us not stop the mouthof Conscien [...] séeing Conscience can and will speak, and t [...] [Page]us what we are. Many there are that go about to stop the mouth of conscience, when Consci­ence deals plainly with them, and tels them of their sins, Oh they cannot endure to hear of that: but remember the miserable end of Judas, what said Judas his conscience to him? Thou hast betrayed thy Lord and Master for a little Silver; Ali covetous wretch! But could Judas his silver stop the mouth of his consci­ence? No, Judas his conscience so terrifies him, that he flung in the money again, and so went and hanged himself.

So likewise remember the fearful estate of Spira, and many others, whose consciences made them to possess the wrath of God here on earth. A wounded spirit (saith Solomon, Prov. 8.14.) who can bear? a tormenting and con­demning Conscience who can endure? O there is no resisting of conscience, it is Gods Vice­gerent in the soul. When conscience speaks threatning language to many for such and such sins, they séek to turn conscience out of doors: but because they cannot possibly do this, they strive to stop his mouth by running wilfully into sin; like men that desperately give up their souls to the devil, and so make shipwrack of faith, con­science, soul, and all for ever: and then follows (as we have seen by woful experience) self-stabbing, self-hanging, drowning, or poisoning, [Page]or some such like accursed ends. Oh consider this, all ye that forget God, and make no con­science of your ways, you undermine your own salvation. Many men deal with conscience as Felix did with Paul, Acts 24.25. they will hear conscience, so long as it speaks good; but when conscience tells them thorowly of their sins, their darling sins, then they have enough of conscience, and so puts him off till they he better at lesure.

When there was no King in Israel, every man did what was good in his own eyes; so where there is no conscience alive in the soul, men lives as they list: but yet for all this con­science will speak home at last. If thou art a drunkard, or an adulterer, or an unjust dealer; or whatsoever sin it is thou art guilty of, con­science will make it known: and if at last con­science doth condemn, thou shalt never be sa­ved: But on the contrary, though men and de­vils say, thou art an hypocrite, or the like, yet if thou hast the testimony of thy conscience, God will own thee as just and righteous. One dram of the peace of conscience is worth a thousand worlds. What would the damned in Hell give for a little of this lasting jay, this peace which passeth all understanding, the want of which is hell, yea worse then hell.

Think upon this, O ye great ones of the [Page]world, who live in pleasure: Remember that there is a conscience, and that there is a God, and that thou hast a precious immortal soul, which if thy conscience witness against, shall be thrown-into Hell. You that eat the fat and sweet of the earth, and drink wine in bowls, and cloath your selves in silks, remember this, that conscience takes notice of all thy ways, of the pride of thy heart, of the vanity of thy life, and setteth all down in his Black Book, You that like the harlot in Prov. 7. cry, Let us take our fill of love and pleasure: consider that all these things must have an end, when all is done, the Bell must toll, and you must all dance after deaths pipe, who are now stnging and swing­ing your selves in worldly pleasures and de­lights. O if God should say to any soul of you, as he did to the rich fool, in Luk. 12.20. This night shall thy soul be taken from thee: It shall little advantage you then to weep and cry, O that I were out of these Infernal and external Flames! O that I had hearkened when time was, to the voice of Christ and my own Con­science.

The Sighs and groans of dying men are often very sad; but the cryes and groans of the damned in Hell, can never he imagined or ex­pressed. O constder this, you that sin away Conscience, that quaff and drink away consci­ence, [Page]accompanying one another in sin; take heed you be not one day found to weep over one anothers backs in hell. Certainly whole coach­fuls of gallants will be tumbled down into hell: The Lord awaken your sleepy dead consciences before you go hence & be no more seen. What pitty is it that persons that bears the Image of God, and are as it were in outward glory and beauty, Gods above others? what pitty is it that such beauty should come to be embraced by ugly loathsome devils in Hell. Thousands there are, that court and sport, pin and paint away their time, whose end is to be burned, and shall at last perish in hell. Fruitless Fig-trees they are, that bear nothing but leaves: Cut them down (saith God) and cast them into the fire. To perish in a prison or on a dunghil is nothing; to dye for want of food is nothing: Lazarus died so, whilst Dives with his delici­ous fare dyed on his hed of down, and was cast into hell. You that lye upon beds of Ivory, and have your hangings of needle-works, if you get not Christ and a good conscience, hell shall be your fare, and devils your companions to tor­ment you for ever: and who shall be able to stand in the day of the Lords wrath? And, who can dwell with everlasting burnings?

Companions in sin, shall be companions in Hell; and those who can sport andp lay one [Page]with another, shall in Hell drag and torment one another, and curse the day that ever they saw one another; and cry out one of another, O what miserable wretches were we, to lose the heaven of heavens for a little vain delight, the love and favour of God, for the love and favour of wicked rompanions, in whose presence we more delighted, then in the everlasting love of God, whose pleasures are pleasures for ever­more. What prefitteth it now, that we have had our Wine and our Musick, our fill and our sull of earthly delights? O wretched creatures that we are, who shall deliver us from this dy­ing death, these miserable torments? Wo unto us, we have rewarded evil to our own souls, we are tanished for ever from the presence of the Lord, and have utterly lost that inward peace of conscience, the want whereof addeth torments to our torments, and maketh us in our misery more excéeding miserable.

Now the Lord give every one of us this peace this joy: which that we may all have; The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ; And the blood of Christ wash and purge our consciences from dead works, that we may serve the living God. Which that we may all do: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.