denial as David did his ; because God would not let him build the hoviseinbis days, bedid nottherefore question the love aiidfuvoin'of God, neitlierdidlie desist from preparing materials for it, but did what he might towards it, tliougli he might not what he would ; far be it from thee also, that thou shouldst for this either cast away thy confidence on God, or lay aside thy endeavour for God, in mortifying thy corruptions, and adding to the store thou hast at present of his graces, which, though now imperfect and unpolished, he will make use of in the heavenly building which he intends thee for, where all the broken pieces, as 1 may so say, of our weak graces shall be so improved by the power and wisdom of God, that they shall make up one glorious structure of perfect holiness, more to be admired by angels in heaven, for the rare workmanship of it, than Solo- mon's temple was on earth by men, when in its full glory.
Fifthly, O but, saith the tempted soul, I have sonietimes inward checks from my own conscience that this dutj' I did hypocritically, and in that action there was nuich falseness of heart discovered itself, and if my heart condemn me, how can it be otherwise, but I must needs be a hypocrite ?
Ans. I shall help to resolve this, by laying down two distinctions, and ap])lying them to the case in hand.
First, We nnist distingiush between conscience proceeding by a right rule in its judgment, and conscience proceeding by a false rule. * Secondly, Between a conscience that goes by a right rule, and is also rightly informed how to use it; and a conscience that judgeth by a right rule, but is not rightly informed in its use. First, to apply the first.
First, Tlien conscience proceeds by a right rule, when it grounds its charge upon the word of God ; for being but an vmder officer it is bound to lay up a law by which it must proceed : and that can be no other than what God appoints it, who gives it commission, and puts it in office, and that is the word of God, and that only ; so that we are to give credit to our consciences, com- manding or forbidding, condemning or acquitting us, when it can shew its warrant from the word of God for these ; otherwise, as subjects that are wronged in an inferior com-t, and cannot have justice there, may appeal higher, so may and ought we from conscience to the word of God. And you must know conscience is a faculty that is corrupted as much as any other by nature, and is very often made use of by Satan to deceive both good and bad, godly and ungodly. Many that know their consciences, they say, speak peace to them, will be found merely cheated and gidled when the books shall be opened; no such discharge will then be found entered in the book of the word, as conscience hath put into their hand. And many gracious souls, who passed their days in a continual fear of their spiritual state, and were kept chained in the dark dungeon of a troublesome conscience, shall then be acquitted, and have their action against Satan for false imprisonment, and accusing their consciences to the disturbing their peace. And now let me ask thee, poor soul, who sayest, thy conscience checks thee for a hypocrite, art thou a convicted hypocrite by the word? doth thy conscience shew thee a word from Christ's law that proves thee so ? or rather doth not Satan abuse thy fearfulness, and play upon the ten- derness of thy spirit, which is so deeply possessed with the sense of tliy sins, that thou art ready to believe any motion in thee, that tells any evil of thee? I am sure it is often so ; the fears and checks which some poor soids have in their bosoms, are like those reports that are now and then raised of some great news, by such as have a mind to abuse the country ; a talk and nuirnun- you shall have in every man's mouth of it, but go about to follow it to the spring-head, and you can find no ground of it, or author of credit that will vouch it. Thus here, a bruit there is in the tempted Christian's bosom, and a noise heard as it were continually whispering in his ears, ' I am a hypocrite, my heart is naught; all I do is dissembling;' but when the poor creature in earnest sets upon the search, to find out the business, calls his soul to the bar, and falls to examine it upon those interrogatories which the word propounds for trial of our sincerity, he can fasten this charge from none of them all upon himself; and at last comes to find it but a false alarm of liell, given out to put iiim to some trouble and affi-ightment for the present, thougli not hurt him in the end, like the poli- ticians' He, which, though it be found false at last, yet doth them service the time it is believed for true. As one serious question, such as this, seriously put to a
g54 HAVING YOUR LOINS