I. OF CONSCIENCE IN GENERAL.
SEEING our purpose is to speak of the curing of sundry ordinary cases, or diseases concerning Regeneration, by a prudent application and use-making of divine covenants, made
The Rev. David Dickson, of Irvine, was one among many of Scottish preachers whom the Lord highly honoured. He was not only an honoured preacher but a distinguished theologian and expositor. It was under his preaching the Stewarton Revival (1625-1630) took place. He was appointed Professor of Divinity in the University of Glasgow, 1640, and ten years later he was appointed to the same chair in Edinburgh University. The characterisation of the English merchant is well-known—“I then went to Irvine, where I heard a well-favoured, proper old man . . . his name was David Dickson and that man showed me all my heart.” His Therapeutica Sacra which we are printing in instalments is the greatest of his theological works. It was written originally in Latin. The archaic style and the scholastic use of syllogisms may repel the reader to begin but he will gradually get used to them.—Editor.
about and with man, for his coming to eternal life, it is needful to speak in the entry a little, First, Of the nature of the conscience, and use thereof in general; Next, of the cases of the conscience in general; Thirdly, What regeneration is, and who is the man regenerate; Fourthly, Of divine Covenants, relating to everlasting happiness; and, Fifthly, Of the ordinary and prudent application of these Covenants in general;—that thereafter we may descend to speak of application thereof in particular cases the more clearly.
As to the First, What conscience is, it hath pleased God, the Sovereign Lord and Judge of all men, in the creation, to put in man’s soul a natural power or faculty, whereby he might not only understand the revealed will of God (the only Lord of, and Law-giver to, the conscience), not only concerning what he should believe and perform, but also, might judge of his own faith and obedience, whether performed, or not performed; yea, and might judge also of the faith and obedience of others, in so far as evidences may be had of their conformity unto, or disagreement from, the revealed rule of faith and manners. This power of the soul of man, whether it be considered only in its natural aptitude and fitness to judge (though not as yet, or for the time, actually judging), or whether it be looked upon as it is putting forth itself in exercise, we call it by the name of conscience.
The word conscience is divers ways taken; for sometimes by it is meant, the natural power of the mind, to judge both of our own and others’ conformity to the rule. And in this larger acceptation we say, Every man hath a conscience, that is, every man, whether male or female, whether old or young, whether sleeping or waking, hath a faculty, which may, and sometimes shall, judge of their own and others’ behaviour towards God. Sometimes it is taken for that natural power of the mind, putting forth itself actually in exercise, by judging of others. So doth the apostle take it: “I trust,” saith he, “we are made manifest in your consciences” (II. Cor. v. 11). But here, in this treatise, we take conscience more strictly, as it examineth and judgeth of ourselves; for, in this sense, it is most properly called conscience, or joint knowledge; partly, because it supposeth, that God and we know our obedience or disobedience, to the rule prescribed to us by Him; partly, because conscience imports, first our knowledge of the rule, and next, our knowledge of our behaviour in relation to the rule, and our comparing of these two together, and passing of sentence on ourselves answerably.
Conscience, as it doth respect ourselves, is no other thing, in effect, than the understanding power of our souls examining how matters do stand betwixt God and us; comparing His will revealed, with our state, condition, and carriage, in thoughts, words, or deeds done or omitted, and passing judgment thereupon as the case requires. So that in the court of conscience (which is God’s deputy in us, as it were), these five things are to be considered; (1) The duty of self-examination; (2) The thing we are to examine; (3) The rule whereby we are to examine; (4) The process of the conscience unto sentence giving; and (5) The execution of the sentence so far as the conscience may.
As to the First, The duty of examination of ourselves, and judging ourselves, it is required of us, lest we be judged of God and chastised with sharp rods (I. Cor. xi. 31, 32), and hereunto we are exhorted: “Commune with your own hearts upon your beds, and be still,” (Psalm iv. 4).
As for the Second,—the thing which we are to examine concerning ourselves—it is one of three, or all the three, in their order; to wit, either our Estate; whether we be in the state of nature, under wrath, or not: or whether we be regenerate, and in the state of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, or not. Of this speaketh the apostle (II. Cor. xiii. 5), “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith.” Or it is our Condition; whether being in the state of grace, our present disposition or inclination of heart and affections be such, as becometh a man reconciled, or not. To this point of examination, Christ doth call the angel of the Church of Ephesus (Rev. II. 5), “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen;” or, the thing we are to examine, is our deeds, words, and thoughts actually done or omitted; the neglect of which examination is reproved, (Jer. viii. 6, and Rev. II. 19, 20).
The Third thing to be looked into in the court of conscience, is the rule whereby we are to examine ourselves in all, or any of the former respects, which is the revealed will of God in Holy Scripture; wherein is set down to us what we should believe, and what we should do, and what is the reward of the obedience of faith, and what is the punishment of disobedience. And here, if the conscience be not well informed, and the rule closely cleaved unto, the erring conscience may swallow down the grossest idolatry, and cry up Diana for a great goddess (Acts, xix. 28), and make the murderers of the saints conceive, that in killing them they do God good service (John, xvi. 2).
(To be continued.)