cleansed in the precious blood of my Lord Jesus, run again into that mire out of which he so graciously took me, and made me clean? Let the swine wallow in it: he hath made me of his sheepfold. He hath made me of that excellent order, for which all are consecrated by that washing, who partake of it; He hath washed us in his blood, and made us kings and priests unto God the Father. Am I of these? and shall I debase myself to the vile pleasures of sin? No, I will think myself too good to serve any sinful lusts. Seeing that he hath looked on me, and taken me up, and washed and dignified me, and that I am wholly his, all my study and business shall be to honor and magnify him.

The answer of a good conscience towards God. The taking away of spiritual filthiness, as the true and saving effect of baptism, the apostle here expresses by that which is the further result and effect of it, The answer of a good conscience towards God; for it is the washing away of that filthiness which both makes the conscience good, and, in making it such, fits it to make answer unto God. A good conscience, in its full sense, is a pure conscience and a peaceable conscience: and it cannot indeed be peaceably good, unless it be purely good. And although, on the other side, it may want the present enjoyment of peace, being purified, yet certainly in a purified conscience there is a title and right to peace; it is radically there, even when it appears not; and in due time it shall appear, shall spring forth, bud, and flourish.

A good conscience is a waking speaking conscience, and the conscience that questions itself most is of all sorts the best; that which is dumb, therefore, or asleep, and is not active and frequent in self-inquiries, is not a good conscience. The word is judicial, alluding to the interrogation used in law for the trial and executing of processes. And this is the great business of conscience, to sit, and examine, and judge within; to hold courts in the soul. And it is of continual necessity that it be so. You know what confusions, and disorders, and evils, will abound amongst a people, where there is no kind of court or judicature held. Thus is it with that unruly rabble, the lusts and passions of our souls, when Div. No. VII.

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there is no discipline nor judgment within, or where there is but a neglect and intermission of it for a short time. And most souls are in this posture of ruin: their vile affections, as a headstrong tumultuous multitude, that will not suffer a deputed judge to sit amongst them, cry down their consciences, and make a continual noise, that the voice of it may not be heard, and so, force it to desist and leave them to their own ways. But you who take this course, know, you are providing the severest judgment for yourselves by this disturbing of judgment; as when a people rise against an inferior judge, the prince or supreme magistrate who sent him, hearing of it, doth not fail to vindicate his honor and justice in their exemplary punishment. Will you not answer unto conscience? but when it begins to speak, turn to business or company, that you may not hear it? Know, that it and you must answer unto God; and when he shall make inquiry, it must report, and report as the truth is, knowing that there is no hiding the matter from him-Lord, there are, to my knowledge, a world of enormities within the circuit I had to judge, and I would have judged them, but was forcibly withstood and interrupted, and was not strong enough to resist the tumultuous power that rose aganist me; now the matter comes into thine own hand to judge it thyself. What shall the soul say in that day, when conscience shall make such an answer unto God, and it shall come under the severity of his justice for all? Whereas if it had given way to the conscience to find out, and judge, and rectify matters, so that it could have answered concerning its procedure that way, God would accept this as the answer of a good conscience, and what conscience had done, he would not do over again. It hath judged; then I acquit. For if we would judge ourselves, says the apostle, we should not be judged.

This questioning or inquiry of conscience, and so its report or answer unto God, extends to all the affairs of the soul, all the affections and motions of it, and all the actions and carriage of the whole man. But it is chiefly touching two great points, which are of chief concern to the soul, its justification and its sanctification; for baptism is the seal of both, and purifies

That water is the

the conscience in both respects. figure both of the blood and the water, the justifying blood of Christ and the pure water of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ. He takes away the condemning guiltiness of sin by the one, and the polluting filthiness by the other.

Now the conscience of a real believer inquiring within, upon right discovery will make this answer unto GodLord, I have found that there is no standing before thee, for the soul in itself is overwhelmed with a world of guiltiness; but I find a blood sprinkled upon it, that hath, I am sure, virtue enough to purge it all away, and to present it pure unto thee; and I know that wheresoever thou findest that blood sprinkled, thine anger is quenched and appeased. Thine hand cannot smite where that blood is before thine eye. Lord, I find a living work of holiness on this soul; though there is yet corruption there, yet it is as a continual grief and vexation, it is an implacable hatred, there is no peace betwixt them, but continual enmity and hostility; and if I cannot say much of the high degrees of grace, and faith in Christ, and love to him, and heavenliness of mind, yet, I may say, there is a beginning of these: at least this I most confidently affirm, that there are real and earnest desires of the soul after these things. It would know and conform to thy will, and be delivered from itself and its own will; and though it were to the highest displeasure of all the world, it would gladly walk in all well-pleasing unto thee.

3. The last thing is the resemblance of baptism to the saving of Noah in the flood. He seemed to have rather entered into a grave as dead, than into a safeguard of life, in going into the ark; yet, being buried there, he rose again, as it were, in his coming forth to being a new world. The waters of the flood drowned the ungodly; as a heap of filthiness, it washed them away, them and their sin together, being inseparable; and, upon the same waters, the ark floating preserved Noah. Thus the waters of baptism are intended as a deluge to drown sin and to save the believer, who by faith is separated both from the world and from his sin; so it sinks and he is saved.

And there is also another thing specified by the apostle, wherein, though it be a little hard, yet he chiefly intends the parallel-the fewness of those that are saved by both; for though many are sprinkled with the elemental water of baptism, yet few so as to attain by it the answer of a good conscience towards God, and to live by participation of the resurrection and life of Christ.

Thou that seest the world perishing in a deluge of wrath, and art now most thoughtful for this, how thou shalt escape it, fly into Christ as thy safety, and rest secure there. Thou shalt find life in his death, and that life further ascertained to thee in his rising again. So full and clear a title to life hast thou in these two, that thou canst challenge all adversaries upon this very ground, as unconquerable whilst thou standest on it, and mayest speak thy challenge in the apostle's style, It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? But how know you that he justifies? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen, who is even at the right hand of God; who also maketh intercession for us. It alludes to that place, Isa. 1, 8, where Christ speaks of himself, but in the name of all who adhere to him; He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? So that what Christ speaks there, the apostle, with good reason, imputes to each be liever as in him. If no more is to be laid to Christ's charge, he being now acquitted, as is clear by his rising again, then neither to thine, who art one with him.

This is the grand answer of a good conscience; and, in point of justification before God, there can be no answer but this. What have any to say to thee? Thy debt is paid by him who undertook it, and he is free. Answer all accusations with this, Christ is risen.

And then for the mortifying of sin and strengthening of thy graces, look daily on his death and resurrection. Study them, set thine eye upon them, till thy heart take the impression of them by much spiritual and affectionate looking on them. Beholding the glory of thy Lord Christ, be transformed into it. It is not only a moral pattern or copy, but an effectual cause of thy sanctification, having real influence on thy soul. Dead with him and again alive with him! O happiness and dignity un

speakable, to have this life known and cleared to your souls! How would it make you live above the world, and all the vain hopes and fears of this wretched life, and the fear of death itself! Yea it would make the visage of death most lovely, which to the world is most affrightful.

Were it possible to persuade you, I would recommend one thing to you-learn to look on the ordinances of God suitably to their nature, spiritually, and inquire after the spiritual effect and working of them upon your consciences. We would willingly have all religion reduced to externals; this is our natural choice; and we would pay all in this coin, as cheaper and easier by far, and would compound for the spiritual part, rather to add and give more external performance and ceremony. But whither tends all this ? Is it not a gross mistaking of God to think him thus pleased? Or is it not a direct affront, to thrust that upon him which he cares not for, and refuse him what he calls for-that single, humble heart-worship and walking with him, that purity of spirit and conscience which only he prizes? no outward service being acceptable, but for these, as they tend to this end and do attain it. Give me, saith he, nothing, if you give not this. O saith the carnal mind, any thing but this thou shalt have; as many washings and offerings as thou wilt; thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oil; yea, rather than fail, let the fruit of my body go for the sin of my soul. Will the outward use of the word and sacraments do it ? then all shall be well. Baptized I am. And shall I hear much and communicate often? Shall I be exact in point of family-worship? Shall I pray in secret? All this I do, or at least I now promise to do it. Aye, but when all this is done, there is yet one thing may be wanting, and if it be so, all this amounts to nothing. Is thy conscience purified and made good by all these, or art thou seeking and aiming at this, by the use of all these means? Then certainly thou shalt find life in them. But does thy heart still remain uncleansed from the old ways, not purified from the pollutions of the world? Do thy beloved sins still lodge with thee, and keep possession of thy heart? Then art thou still a stranger to