t4 the KKeaaer. xxix it was to the apof"le (whofe exercife it was to have always a confcience void of offence towards God and toward men) who faid, Who is offended, and Í burn not? Ninthly, We would take heed to, and be aware of pre- tending ,confcience in any thing, about which we have no real exercife, doubt or fcruple of eonfcience, As for inflance, in the firft place, If profeffors of religion Ihould pretend confcience, for abflaining from filch and fuch a pra &ice, only from long cuflom of doing fo, from the example of others, or from lothnefs to dif- ' pleafe them, or only from diuinclination to, or aver- fion from, the thing, which they will not readily abide by, if any confiderable fuffering, whether of emergent lofs, or ceffant gain be met with on account thereof ; whereby it comes to pats that confcience, and truly confciencious perlons, are expofed to contempt and fcorn : Some ffanders -by, and lookers -on, taking occafi- on to think and fay, that fuch perlons have all the while been a &ed by no real principle of confcience, but only by humour, or at belt by the example of others, to the great reproach of religion, and the holy profeffion there of ; and fuch as have a natural and unreafonable preju- dice at all ferious godlinefs and tendernéfs of confci- ence, ly at the wait to fith and catch all advantages, fo fortifying tìemfelves in their prejudice, and are ready to draw their concluflons not only, nor fo much againff the particular perlons, as again!" the whole generation of confcientious and godly people ; yea, again!" godli- nefs itfeif, and tendernefs of confcience ; their pre - judice prompting them to think and fay, We always thought that,fort of men were not truly confcientious and godly, whatfoever they profeffed ; and now we fee and find them to be fo, and that we were not miftaken, but in the right, when we thought to be fuch : They are all filch, all of a piece, a&ed by no true principle of confcience, but by humour, peevifhnefs, or fome fuch thing, notwithf"anding of all tiìfir high -flown pretenfi_ ons of confcience ; for, let them but be put a little to its and all their confcience- pretenfions will be quite re- linquiihed and evanith, and they will be and do like ethers; which gives ground to lober and truly confG- et.
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