414 Quefiion.e,and Cafes ofConfcience Chap4;.... hash to do,whence it deferves the title of- a good Confcience,. Riches,- Honour, Learning, &c. are not goodreally,butonly in opinion ,'nor doe pa alone make any man the better : But a good Confcience makes all good ; and good better where it comes. It finds fome fmfull, and leaves them holy proud and eaves them humble : covetous, and leaves them content, &c.; It Mends Magif}rates, Minil}ers, poor, rich,yea all.- Its the treafurÿof good, and there forebrings our nothing but v hat is good. Goodcommunication, good coíiver- fation : yea it makes aelicros indifferencin their own- nature ro become good, and anions good to become better. e(}, What is' the d.ingeP, 'irid' n fchiefe of an evéll" Cefei eree ? A»fw. PHI', Here commonly is theEradecay of a Ghriflian I jniènexe,' and Alexanzier firtiput avvay a goodConfcience, and then funk in their=Faith, r 7-57;v;.1. 2.6.: when the Confcience isoncè' corrupt ; then prefentty fo- is the . judgment, then the affecions, then the life , and then ,all. Corruption -in the Conference is like poifon in the Springhead: 'No -man aimes at the ;height ofimpiety at once ; and this is commonly the firf} flep, when Confcience likes nóì:'to" retain the knowledge ofGod,he gives vp to vileaffeaions,then tò airepro- bate minde, and at lafi tobe filled with allmanner of untighteoufnefs, Rom. 1. 26, 26, 29: A ho'efull profeffnr by thismeanes foone becomes. a dangerous A- pofiate, and at la$ a down-right Athecl}:,.Tit. I. 15,16. The Sun beginning CO set inConfcience, nighthaftens 'on in the affections : Then farewell grace : and when the Sungoes back in the heaven of Confcience, the iíiadovv goes back many degrees in the Dial(of Comfort, then farewell peace. II Secondly, As the firfldecay ufuallybegins here, fo it proves the worfl , and Moil dangerous : Abreach in the Confcience; is like abreach in the Sea.bank : orlike a leake in a' fhip : very defperate. Some fins , and flips are like the breakingofa' Leg, or Arm that maybe fet again : but this is like the breaking 'th'e neck, ofwhich few recover. Patti tellsof force that had given thernfelves over'to lafcivioufnefs, &c. 6pkef.4.19. but they caméto this height of impiety by blinding their minds, and deadning their Confcience In the ]all dayes ma- ny depart from the Faith, and give heed to feducing fpirits, &c. I Tim. q.. I . but they firfl feared their Confctences,ver. z. Its the ready, yea the only"way to the fin againfl the holy Ghoft. III. Thirdly; Either thoumua refolve to' make a good warfare for a good Confci- ence; or to fuffer an ill-warfare made upon thee from an evill Confcience. Of all warsCivill-waris thewort{, andof all Civili-wars ; Domeflicall ; and of all Domefliéall,Matrimoniall. Forwhere the relation is nearef} , divifion there is unkindefl. But there is one war worfe then all there : the perfonall divifion is i orfe then between man and awife. Some have thought that they wereable to make an offenlive war again{] Confcience : But none were ever able to make á defenfive. To fightagáinfl Confcience, is to fight againfl God , and who ever foughtagainfl God andprofpered, Yob 9.4. IfConfeiencebedifregarded in his two firt} Offices, he will be known inhis two ]aft. If his sninifteriall reproofs; and Magifiraticall rods be flighted : Hewill as a witnefs, and a Judge , chaften thee with Scorpions. IV. Fourthly, When any have betrayed their truf}, and yielded up this Fort toSa- tan, they are everafter ca(bieredfromGods fervice, and delivered up by hiiri to Satans cuftody, and an evil] Confcience's mercy,either tobe milled by an er- roneous Confcience, or terrified withan accufing Confcience, Zach.11.9. Rev. 22. II. .2 1hnf. 2. Ie,Ti,I2. Quet}. Is it'fo hard then to get , and krepe a good confcfence, and to e- fcape abad ? Anfw. Yes truly, as will appear in there three refpe&s. 'Firft,. VIM
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