Conscience has often lent its sanction to the grossest errors, and prompted the greatest crimes. Did not Saul of Tarsus, for instance, drag men and women to prison; compel them to blaspheme; and stain his hands in saintly blood, while conscience approved the deed—he believed that he was doing God service. . . . Read the Book of Martyrs, read the sufferings of our own forefathers; and under the cowl of a shaven monk, or the trappings of a haughty churchman, you shall see conscience persecuting the saints of God, and dragging even tender women and children to the bloody scaffold or the burning stake. . . . So far as doctrines and duties are concerned, not conscience, but the revealed Word of God is our one only sure and safe directory.
– William Guthrie
1620 – 1665
Christ Alone Wyoming 
I am in total agreement to this! So many times we hear, “Let conscience be your guide,” or, “Let your heart rule you.” This is not our guide because both our consciences and our hearts are wicked!
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My former church had pithy sayings on its weekly bulletin. Each week a different saying would be highlighted; each phrase was to the constant “Love is …” that was boldly stated above the graphic containing all these quotes. One of the phrases was “Love is … following your heart.”
This dangerous phrase remained on the bulletin for some 3 months after the “senior pastor” agreed with me that it was dangerous. My suspicion is he wanted to use up the inventory, as money was a major concern.
Many folks nowadays don’t dare to declare that they are trusting in their own conscience, but they are comfortable in declaring that they have “heard from God” on particulars. “God told me to go minister to this group”. Really? The Word of God commands us to go and proclaim His gospel to all men.
But “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds”.
Saints of the living God can trust His revealed, preserved, written Word and walk in obedience – even moving to start a church in a remote area. Godly desires are wonderful and, if aligned with Scripture, should be acted upon. That’s not the same thing as God “speaking to me” or, to put it another way, “a Word from God”. Such declarations are man’s attempt to add to the Word of God – putting words in His mouth. Such is the wickedness of our hearts.
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Very true!
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Excellent quote –
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“Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons. Speaking lies in hypocricy; having their consciences seared with a hot iron.” (1 Tim.4:1-2).
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