it,3, about con ct 6 f" encegoo andbad d. duties be performed, andConfcience nor regarded, and the man is but an Hypocrite. Let all gifts remain, and profa(f ion flay, and the man is but an j Apofrate. Hence Bernard,Vtilius eft correre ad canfeientiau, quamadI fapieariam,nifcadent ft fapientiaqua confcientia. Its better running to Confcience then to all your wifdom, unlefs you meanby your wifdom no- thing but Confcience. The unlearned manwith a good confcience ( faith Saint Auftin) will goe CO Heaven , when thou with all thy Learn- ing ¡halt be afl into Hell. Surgunr indolhti CÍ rapiunt-=regnum Cielo- rum, ('?'c. z. Its abfolutely neceffary to the very being of a Chrillian, whereas many other things ferve only tohis better being. To fuppofe a Chrillian with- out Confcience, were to fuppoCe the Sun without light, and fire without heat. Its of the very fame confequence to fpiricuall life, as the fence of feeling is to natural life, which hach the preheminence of all other fen- ces : For (r. Feeling is the firfl fence in being : So is Confcience in the new Creature. tz. Feeling is cfabfolute necellîty. If a man want that , he is a dead man : So is Confcience abfolutely neceffary to the very beingof 1 a Chrillian : A man maybe lhort in parrs , weak in duties , de- l festive in knowledge, andyet be a goodChrillian : but if he bath I lo(# his Confcience , he is altogether dead. ` 3. Many creatures excell man inother fences: but in feeling man ex- I cells mod other : So the bell Chrillian excells in the tenderell, and quickell touchof Confcience. 4. Other fences have a particular Organ oftheir own, and lye in a nar- row room : as hearing in theear, feeing in the eye, &c. but feel- i in, is extended all the bodyover, bothwithin, and without. So is Confcience ofa vafl,anduniverfall extent overall our aélions, 1 intents, words, and motions from firft to lag. Faith looks to promifes : Fear to Threats : Hope to futures `. Obedience to , duties : Repentance to finnes, &c. but Confcience looks to all. t_ 3. 1 moll fortifies thefoul with flren'rth againfl , and gives vi Tory over all Adverfaries. Itslike the Ark witha window in the top to let in light from Hea- ven. Like Elias Mantle, it divides the waters, and carries the godly foul: through a goodofmiferies as ondry Land. It encouragerh in the middeft of fire,and fagots, accompanieth intoDens, and Caves, and made the Martyrs fing in Dungeons, and flames. Its like the Amite that breaks whatfoever is beaten on it, but is it felf by all ftrokes made more firm. It makes a man like a brazen wall, fer. r. 13. Itsdevoidoffear, as Job ç. zz. It will encourage a man to hold `up his head before any judgment feat, Act. 23. r. yea, before Gods Tribunal. I z Job. 3. 3r. A chearfull Confcience makes a chearfull countenance, Prov.1 ç 13. 7 ranquilla confcientia, tranquilla amnia. 4. Itannoints the headwith oyle, andmakes the cup run over with joy , and confolation. Good Confcience'speace,is the peace that paffeth all underhand- ing. It makes a Heaven upon Earth : Its a continual! feall , Prat'. r ç. t ç. the (!ranger intermeddles not with his joy. His feaft is above Ahafuerus's, Eft. r, 4. Its the greatefi good a man canhave, and the procurer, and maintainer ofall the good thata man is capableof here. Its the only Paradife that God loves to walk in : the only Thronewhich Chrifl firs in : theonly Temple which the ho- ly Ghofl dwells in : the golden potwhich the hidden Manna is kept in : the white !lone which the new naine is written in, &c. 5. Its not only a reali good it Pelf, but makes all other things better where it Ll12 bath 443
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