1C3C dv the .pifile fcience ; which in common difcourfe, without any the lead neceffity, is fure more than, T a and Nay, and fo ac- cording to the Lord's own determination (precifely to be flood too) cometh of evil. Neither will they really be found to be amongff the tendereft or molt truly religious and confcientious perlons, whatever be their profeffions of, or pretenfions to, religion or confcience, to whom this is mofi familiar ; for by this cuftomary and habitual folemn afferting every light, minute, and trifling matter (when withal it is offenfive to tender ears) men may be tempted in other things to make too bold with their confcience, which they thus debate, if not, even upon fuch petty occafions now and then to (wear by it : Confcience is a very, tender thing, and would be very tenderly dealt with, and in nothing in the leaft bourded or dallied with and we are exprefly commanded to ab[larn from all ap- pearance of evil, i Thefl. 5. v. 22. Twelfthly, and finally, We would by all means take heed and beware that we do not mock, deride or flout at confcience and confcientious perfons (which no man that bath any confcience will dare to do, nor to deny the power of it Nay, the Atheift himfelf (as Sir Charles Wooly faith well) cannot with all his skill disband his own fears, nor run away from his confcience, no more than he can run away from himfelf; he finds feafons wherein he fmarts under the lathes of it) nor take up, entertain and harbour any prejudice and pique at them, gs if fuch, by the tendernefs, doubts and fcruples of their confciences, difturbed the repofe, peace, tranquillity,and free aLing of all the countries, corporations and focie ties, greater and fmaller, wherein they live; and made a very unpleafant, uncheerful and difquieted life to the perfons themfelves : Or to think that it were a great ad- vantage to the world,that all fuch perfons were out of it, or cluttered together by themfelves only, in fome remote corner of it; for whofe nice and ftait -lac'd (as they call it) confcience, and its enquiries, fcruples and doubts, they cannot get leave to live quiet, and to at with that freedom they-would be at. Alas ! if fuch had their delire, and all doubts, checks and reffraints of confcience were and dil}r lion would from men,what confufion, da the
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