been once an evil
conscience, when it met with the command. The man has once been under the
law, before he came to faith, and examined himself, and his conscience
condemned him as not righteous, and out of Christ. Ye then that never
examined your state, according to the perfect and holy law, and never
judged yourselves, ye cannot believe in Jesus, and so can have no good
conscience. 3. The good conscience flows nearest from faith answering the
challenges of the law. Some have had sore distempers of conscience, and
puddling exercises of terror. But how they were eased or quieted they
cannot tell, but their spring-tide ebbed, and they bubbled no more. It
went away at will, and did wear out with time. This is not a good
conscience, that knows not distinctly the grounds of faith to oppose to
the law's condemnation. Some turn to build cities with Cain, and pass the
time pleasantly, or in some business, that they may beguile their
challenges. But this is not the conscience that faith makes good. Now, set
apart all these who do not examine themselves at all, nor judge
themselves, but live in a golden dream, who have never been arraigned
before God's tribunal, or summoned by his deputy to appear before his
judgment-seat; and join unto these all persons who, judging themselves,
take other rules of absolution than the word gives, who after trial
absolve themselves, and withal those, who, condemning themselves, yet flee
not unto this city of refuge, this blood of sprinkling, to get a solid
answer in the word to all their challenges, and O how few are behind! It
is but as the gleaning after the vintage. Nay, many believers have not a
good conscience, though they have a right to it, because they settle not
themselves on the grounds of faith, and go not on from faith to faith.
There must be some sense of faith, before faith answer rightly, and give
peace to the mind.

Use II. Ye see the way to get a good conscience. Believe much, and
maintain your faith. It is as simple and poor a mistake as can befall a
soul. Ye think because ye have not peace after your believing, therefore
it was not unfeigned and true faith: and therefore ye will not believe,
because ye cannot get peace. But believe that ye may have a good
conscience. Would ye know your sins are pardoned before ye believe? How
precious should faith be unto you, when by faith ye may not only overcome
the world, but, as it were, overcome God in judging, that the soul may be
ju