QHeffrons, and Cafes ofConfcience Chap.4 5 an expreffe Precept. So, Matth. 15. I 3. Secondly, When we leave the waters of Siloah, the holy Scriptures , which run foftly, uniformly, and conflantly, and takes extraordinary Providence for a Rule inftead of Precept, whereas Gods providences, both profpering, and ad- verfe, are rather probatory, then dire5tory, Deut.i .3. Dan.' a. 35. Erroneous Confcience imputes his fuccefs to his caufe, and his caufe profpering , he files Cods caufe : This was Rabfhakeh's Divinity , Ifa.36.1o. and of the Chaldean, Hab. 1. I r. Such fay , as jer.5o 7. we offend not,becaufe they have finned, and we have prevailed. Solomon tells us, we can conclude nothing certainly from hence, Ecclef.9.r.2,r I. and 7.I 5. and 8.14, ult. Thirdly, It prefers afuppofedfiEtious revelation, before written , and deere revelations : as that deceived Prophet, a King. 13.18. Now all divine revela- tions coming from the Spirit ofTruth, areever confonant to the word of truth, which is the rule ro try all revelations by, 2 Pet.t.19. Fourthly, Itprefers a flrow, impulfe fromhis own thoughts, beforeGods own thoughts, pr.-7.3 r. God faid, that it never came into his minde to approve of what theydid, yet they would doe it , becaufe it was their Confcience , and carne into theirmind. But thefe impulfes, though coming from a gracious Spi- rit, can be no rule : as we fee in Davids impulfe tobuildGod an houfe , 2 Sam. 7.2,3. fo to be revenged onNabal, I Sam.a5.2z. Prov.28.26. He that truf- eth his oiene heart is a foolc. Hence, Job a5. 31. Its trufling to va- nity. Fifthly, It interprets difñculties,and difcouragements as a difchargefrom du- ty. The time is not come ( fay they) to build Gods houfe, therefore its not our duty, Hag./.2. but this is a fluggards Confcience, whenhe pretends a Lion in the may, Prov.a 5.13. Sixthly, It conceives a fair intention, or good end can legitimate an unwar- rantable action. Its true, a good end batha great influence upon an afiion to make it Theologically good : yet can it not alter the nature of an aEtion that is materially bad to mend it, Job 13.7. Our Rule is, not to doe the leaft evil! to gain the greateft beneficial! good, or to avoid the greateft penali evill, Rom. 3. 8. Séventhly, Its fo confident that it daresapppeal to God to patronife his ex- orbitancies, Job. s 6.a. they thought theydid Cod the heft fervice , when they did the Church the greateft differvice. So. Phil.3.6. Paulout ofzeale perjecuted the Church. So, A£l.z 3.12. 1Q efl. What motives may quicken us to get , and retaine a good Confci- ence ? Anfw. Fírfl, Remember that God weigheth, and trieth the Confcience,Prov. x 6.2. So much of Confcience as is ina man, or duty, or aelion, or fuffering, fo much of thanks, and efleem with God : So much Confcience as thou haft towards God , So much comfort is coming to thee from God. Secondly, If Confcience be wanting, thou wilt fuller lofs ofall thou haft , of all thou haft done, fuffered, or expended, God willfay to fuch : whenyoufail- ed was it not to your felves, &c ? Ananias loft his colt when he had been at fo great charges : Alexander his reward whenhe had fuffered fo much : Judas loft all after he had followed Chrill fo long, and preached to others fo often. Thirdly, A good Confcience leads a man toperfe& , and compleat happinefs both here, and"hereafrer. s. In this world its the only way to a good, and bleffed life: and that I. In profperity it will be as an hedge about all thou haft,as the Candle of the Lordin thy Tabernacle. 2. In
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