44 L Queflions andCae.r.ofConf'cience Chap.43 the naked, a idbrings upon the l onor the bleffingof him that was ready to-petith.. This4acbesa {hewed, Lake 19.8. and fob Chap. 34._ rz, &c. and Obadiah, 1 King. 18. 13. and Nehemiah, Chap. 5. 15. Hence Pfal. r1,a..ç.Prov.3i. 2o, 26. So Cornelius, Ails to. 2,4. !fa. 32.8. 2. To outneighbours rnufl be (hewed the charity of benevolence : we mufc lovethem asour £elves, Math. 22. 39. Rom. 13. 8. For Prov.18. 24. .Ate that batha friend,mq'hero hionfelf friendly. Irs a pleafant thing to fee friends and 'neighbours living in this mutuall love, and benevolence, ' f4/.t33.1.&c. 3. To our enemies a love of forgivenefs. This is the hardefl; , and there- fore the higheft pitch of love : a leflon only to be learned in the School of Chria. The Pharifees taught otherwife,whichChrifl laboured to reform, attb.S.46. Lake 6.32.33. This makes us like our Father in Heaven, who is kind to the thankfatll, andunkind, Luke, 6. 3 5. and lime his Son on Earth, who prayed for his enemies. This we are exhorted to , Col. 3. 12, 13. 2. Spirituall,or Ecclefnafticall, which is tobe (hewed in the love we bear to the Church and truth of Chrifi , and to the fouls of our brethren. This Cha- rity is to be preferred before all the former : the former may be amondfl Hea- thens, and civilized Chrihians, but this is the peculiar badg of the people of God : A love of Sympkonie in judgment, and opinion : of Sympathy in heart, and affe&ion,and ofSymmetric, or-Harmony in anoffenfive converfation : This is often, and earneftly preffed, `Phil. 2.1,07c. 1 Pet. 3.8. Its the end of the Law, theadorning of the Gofpel : the lively Image of God, and of. Chrifi : the firfl fruit of the Spirit : *daughter of Faith : the Mother of hope : the filter of peace : the kinfwoman of truth : the lifeand joy. ofAngels : the bane ofDivels : Its thedeathofDiflenrions: the grave of Schtfines, wherein all Church rup- ture, and offences are buried, s. ijoh. 4. 8, I 6. 74.13.34. Gal. 5.22.6. Yea, id the :very bondofperfe&iorr; Col. 3.14: and that which covers all fins, r Pet. 4. 8. Oi eft. what is the excellency , and benefit of a good Confci- ence ? Anfiv. Firfl, The excellency cf it appears in the honourable titles givento it above all other graces, and the reali preheminence ithath, ifcompared with all other things : as I. Itbath:this proper denomination given it ordinarily of agood Confcience, A&.23.19.1 Tim.r.15. a Pet.3.16,21. whereasother graces, though ex- cellent in their place, andkind are feldom fo called. Where do we read of goodFaith, good Love, Holinefs, licc. whereas Confcience is good of it felt, andmakes the goodFaith, the goodLove, thegood repentance, &c. which all ceafe to begood when fevered from thegood confcienee, Again, compare it with all other good things , and it bath the better of them, what od is there in á theft full ofgoods, when the Confcience is empty of geodbefs ? ` u'idrptodefl plena bens Arca, /1 inanis fit Confcientia ? faid in,What if hebathgood wares in his {hop , a good flock in his ground, ood cloaths tohisback, Bic: if he bathnot a good Confcience in his heart ? This man is like Naaman, a rich andhonorable man, but Leper. What areall great Parts, and abilities, without a good Confcience ? but as fweetflotivers upon a Kinking carcafs. Its above all Faith alone, there- fore they oft go together in Scripture ,1 Tim. t. 5, 09. and 3.9. If this beput away faith: is ihipwrát. Nothing profits alone without this ; not Baptifine, a Per. 3.21. not Charity, r Tim.I. S. not coming to the Lords Sùpper,Reb.to:ax: not any ferving ofGod, 2Tim. T. 3. not obedience do A%aotrates;, Idem:t3.5 not all our fufferings., a Pet.2.19,2o. Let all duties
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