God’s preacher in the heart – Thomas Brooks

“They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.” Romans 2:14-15

Conscience is God’s preacher in the heart.

In the great day of judgment, the book of every man’s conscience shall be opened for their conviction, wherein they shall read their guilt in legible characters; for the conscience is a book of record, wherein men’s actions are entered. And although now it is shut up closed, and sinners will by no means be brought to look into it, and though many things which are written in this book seem to be so greatly obliterated and blotted, that they can hardly be read yet in that great day of accounts God will refresh and recover the luster of those ancient writings; and sinners, in that day, shall find that conscience has an iron memory!

In the last day, God will bring the book of conscience out of the rubbish, as they did the book of the law in Josiah’s time; and the very laying open of this book before sinners will horrify them, and fill them with unspeakable dread and terror, and be a hell on this side hell unto them. In this book they shall find an exact account of every vain thought they have had, and of every idle word they have spoken, and of every evil action they have done; and oh, what amazement and astonishment will this fill them with!

God’s omniscience takes in all things past, present, and to come as if He had kept a diary of every man’s thoughts, words, and actions!

The hidden things of the heart are not now known, but then they shall be opened, and manifested to the consciences of every sinner, so as there shall be no place, no room left for any excuse or plea. Oh, what dreadful accusations will every sinner be forced to read out of this book of conscience in the great day! Oh, how in that great day will all wicked men wish that they had followed the dictates of conscience.