tF 64 Chap. 27. An Expofition upon the Boob of Jo B. Verf.6. They find if they thould omit fuch a dury,ifthey Chould not Corn- times pray, and hear the Word, they mutt anCwer it to their con- fciences. This is a truc diftin&ion between a godly and a carnal man ; a godly man doth good,not for feare his confcience fhould trouble him, but becaufe his confcience is pleafed vvith,and fuited to thedoingof good. Yet confcience is terrible to a good man whenhe fins, as well as to a wicked, even he is afraid of the chid- lags of confcience ; therefore as Paul faith in reference tocivil Magifirates (Rem. 13. 3.) fo I fay in reference to that natural Magiflrate in your breads, confcience, Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power, do that which isgood, and thou fhalt have praife of the fame. The Magidrate is a terrour, not to good works, but toevil( workes ; confcience is a Magiflrare within, and that isa terrour, not togoodworks,butto evil ; thereforemy advice is, would ye not be afraid of the power of confcience, do that which is good, and ye (hall have praife of the fame, that is, your confcience will commend you, or give teflimöny for you : it is fweer, no man knows how fwect but he that bath ir, to have the teflimony of a good confcienceupon good grounds ; A flattering from confci- ence is the foared curfe , but a true teflimony from confci- ence is an unCpeakable mercy. Doe good, and ye (hall have good words, and a good witnefs from confcience. Fourthly, Obferve ; agodlyman is verycareful not to give bit confcience anyecca. fien to reproach him. Whatfoever he doth,or what fhift foever he makes,he will not doe any thingwhich may put him in the hand of confcience to fchoole and chide him; that is the tendencyofall.When job faid, e 1yconfciexce fhall not reproach me, his meaning was, I will not doe that which (hall render me naked and lyabie to the reproa- ches ofconfcience. It is impoflible to avoyde the reproaches of confcience, unleffe we avoyde and turne from that which puts a word of reproach in themouth of confcience. Sin puts notonly a word, but a fword in the mouth of confcience to woundus, therefore a godly man, next to his care that he give not God an occafion:gaint him, will not give his confcience an occafion a- gainfl him. Confcience aCts in fubordinatioa to God. Agood confcienceis u a Paradife, it makes mufick within ; confcience is a
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