[2.] In point of knowledge. Conscience in many things is blind, partial, inattentive, insensible, but none of these things can be imagined in God, he knoweth all things. Therefore since the business is to be transacted before him, and not before man, we had need look to it, that we may assure our hearts before him.
(1.) He seeth more clearly; he not only knoweth all things that we can know of ourselves, but knoweth more things against us than our hearts know, and so God cannot be deceived : Ps. xix. 12, ' Who can understand his errors ? Lord cleanse thou me from secret sins.' No man knoweth a man so well as his conscience, but the conscience doth not so well know him as God knoweth him ; his knowledge is infinite, and pierceth to our very thoughts and the secret motions of the heart.
(2.) He heareth more exactly. There is a partiality in our knowledge,
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we overlook the evil, being blinded by self-love, but the Lord weigheth the spirits, Prov. xvi. 2, puts them into the balance of the sanctuary, and coDsidereth all the circumstances,
(3.) He judgeth more impartially ; we mistake sins for graces, and so bring in a false verdict: Luke xvi. 15, 'Ye are they which justify yourselves before men ; but God knoweth your hearts ; for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God.' We are deceived with a false show ; we take a brier for a rose, yea, many times a toad for a lark ; but God cannot be thus deceived, but judgeth according to the nature of things.
Doct That a man's unsound estate is much discovered to himself, or determined by the judgment of his own conscience.
If our heart condemn us ; that is, our conscience ; and every man by his own heart and conscience is generally acquitted or condemned.
Here I shall demonstrate to you —
1. That there is such a faculty as conscience, whose office it is to judge of our estate.
2. The value of this judgment, that it ought to be well weighed, when our hearts condemn us of insincere dealings in point of duty towards God or man.
I. The nature and office of conscience; certainly there is such a faculty as conscience. Science is one thing, and conscience is another : science is a knowledge of other things, conscience is the knowledge of ourselves. Conscience is the knowledge of a man's state and ways ; to know what we are to do, and what we have done, that is conscience. It is the judgment of a man concerning himself with respect to reward and punishment. God, that is our Lord, is also our proper judge ; but it pleaseth him to erect a tribunal within a man in his own bosom, and to make him his own judge : conscience is a judge, yet but a deputy-judge accountable to God, This much conduceth — (1.) To the glory of God ; (2.) To the safety of man.
1. To the glory of God, and that in two regards, as an evidence of his being, and a vindication of the righteousness of his judicial proceedings.
[1.] As an evidence of his being, for his law is the ground of all conscience, and it is before his tribunal that it doth accuse and acquit us, and his sentence that we wait for or dread, and stand in fear of. Why should we scruple this or that, if there be not a God, by whose will good and evil are distinguished ? To whom doth it accuse us l)ut to God ? Why is conscience sometimes afraid, sometimes com- forted, if there were no God to mind things here below ? We find conscience appalleth the stoutest sinners, after the commitment of some offences, though they be secret, and beyond the cognisance and vengeance of man : Ps. liii. 5 ' They feared where no fear was ; ' that is, no outward cause of fear, where none sought to hurt them ; accus- ing themselves where none else could accuse them ; as Joseph's brethren, Gen. xlii. 21 ; or where none had power to reach them ; as many worldly potentates feel the stings of conscience as well as others. Felix trembled who was the judge, when Paul the prisoner preached to him. Acts xxiv. 2.5. What is the reason of this, but that they know there is a supreme judge and avenger?
1G8 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXV.
[2.] To vindicate the righteousness of his judicial proceedings. Self-accusers and self-condemners have no reason to quarrel with God, and impeach his justice. Man hath principles and sentiments graven upon his heart, which justify all God's dealings with him: Luke xix. 22, ' Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked and slothful servant;' Ps. li. 4, 'That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest.' Surely self-condemners, Titus iii. 11, are without excuse, Kom. i. 20, and have no reason to murmur at God's proceedings with them. Hence there are frequent appeals to conscience in scripture : Isa. v. 3, 4, ' Judge between me and my vineyard, what could have been done more to my vineyard which I have not done ? ' So that by conscience man is better induced to give a testimony to God concerning his judicial proceed- ings, and the righteousness of all his dealings with men.