But now some objections may arise.
Object. 1. May we not be deceived in our judgment concerning ourselves ?
Ans. 1. Not ordinarily ; in condemnation man is over-prone to love liimself, and therefore unless compelled by the manifest force and evidence of the truth, he would not condemn himself, especially when affecting the show and reputation of sincerity. Surely, if there were ground for it, he would not let go his integrity (it is true, some melancholy mournful souls may write bitter things against themselves, and mistake in spiritual things), as Prov. xvi. 2, * All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes ; ' Rev. iii. 17, 18, ' Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and })oor, and blind, and naked : I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou
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mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; aud anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.' There is a false presumption of our good estate. Now then, when our hearts reproach us, and con- demn us for want of love to and neglect of God, and unmindfulness of heavenly things, it concerneth us to weigh the matter. We can better trust it condemning than acquitting : 1 Cor. iv. 4, ' If I know nothing by myself, I am not thereby justified, but every one's judg- ment is of the Lord.'
2. The apostle speaketh of what is rightly done, and according to rule. Look, as in acquitting we must distinguish between a dead sleepy conscience, and a tender waking conscience, so in condemning, between the judgment when under a heat, and passion, and distemper, and the judgment of conscience in our calm and sedate moods. Surely if it then condemn us, or give us no good assurance before God, we have need to look to ourselves. A stupid conscience, and on the other side a stormy conscience, are not capable of passing a right judgment.
3. It is all one as to our peace, if our hearts judge us wrongfully, either as to acts or state. Acts : Rom. xiv. 22, 23, ' Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith ; and what- soever is not of faith is sin.' A man may do an action lawful, and yet liis heart may accuse or condemn him in it, as if it were unlawful. It is a damning sin to act against conscience though it err. So as to state ; he cannot think God acquitteth him whose heart condemneth him, for he cannot believe against his conscience. There is indeed a self-condemning as to merit, which entitletli to mercy ; but a self- condemning as to our actual state must needs breed trouble and grief of heart, though it be upon false grounds.
Object. 2. But what relief is there for one whose heart condemnetli him ? Must he sit down, and despair, and die ? I answer —
1. In some cases there is an appeal from court to court. In what court doth conscience condemn you? In the court of the law? You ought to subscribe to the condemnation as just, and to own the desert of sin ; and if God should bring it upon you, he is righteous : Neh. iii. 33, ' Thou art just in all that is brought upon us ; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly.' But there is a liberty of appeal from court to court. You may take sanctuary at the Lord's grace, and humbly claim the benefit of the new covenant : Ps. cxxx. 3, 4, ' If thou. Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, 0 Lord, who shall stand ? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.' De- precate the first court, and beg the favour of the second.
2. In other cases there is an appeal from judge to judge. Suppose conscience condemn you in the gospel court, that you are not sound believers, the case must not be lightly passed over, but you must exa- mine whether there be a sincere bent of heart in you, yea or no, appeal to the higher judge ; as when others question your sincerity : ' My wit- ness is in heaven,' saith Job, chap, xvi. 19. So when your own hearts question it, doth conscience write bitter things against you ? See if the judgment of conscience be the judgment of God. It is a judge, but not a supreme judge ; it may err in acquitting, as when from a judge it
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becometli an advocate, excusing the partialities of our obedience ; so in condemning, when from a judge it becometh an accuser, and exag- gerateth incident faihngs beyond measure. Go to the higher judge, whose act is authoritative and powerful : Job xxxii. 23, ' If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness.' Who can interpret your righteousness to you but his Spirit, when you cannot see it yourselves, and may some- times speak peace in the sentence of the word, when not in the feeliag of conscience, and the lively impressions of his comforting Spirit ?