161 A Trea ti¡e o f Con f cience. I Cor,TI 3 t. Foure Propofi- tions. I. There is in every man a con - fcience. Iohn 8. 9. zCorI.I a Tie. z. I ç mented. But I am not to (peak of fuch confciences, but of the confcience of man. Now the confcience of man is the judg- ment-of man upon himfelf as he is fubjeft to Gods judgment: Divines ufe toexpreffe it in this Syllogifine, He that truly be- lieveth in Chrifl [ball be Paved: My confcience telleth me this is Gods word : Tut Ibeleeve truly inChrift. My confciencetel leth me this alto. Thereforz I 'ball be Paved. And fo alfo on the contrary fide. So that confcience is a mans true judgment of himfelf : If we would judge our (elves : that is, if we would bring our [elves before the Tribunal of confcience to receive its judgment. Foure Propofitions are contained in that portion of Scrip- ture, which I have chof'en to make the fubjeet of this enfuing Treatife, Rom. 2.1 5. a. That there is in every man a confcience. [Their confcien- ces bearing them witneffe,] Every one of them had a confcience bearing them witneffe. 2. That the light which confcience is direâed towork by is knowledge Written in their hearts.] 3. That t e bond that bindeth a mans confcience is Gods law [which Jhew the effell of the law written in their hearts.] 4. That the office and duty of confcience is to bear witneffe either with our (elves or againft our felves,accufing or excufing our (elves or as ions [bearing witneffe, and their thoughts acculing or excufing one another.] I begin with the firfl. Propofition t. There is in every man a confcience. THere was aconfcience in all thefe heathen in the text: their confciences bearing tbemwitneffe : There wasa confcience in the Scribes and Pharifees, being convilted oftheir own con - fciences. There is a confcience in good men;as in Paul; Our re- joycing is this,thete.fiimony of our con(cience,There is a confcience in wicked men,their mind and confcience is defiled, As it is im- pofìible
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