t© the Render. rxxV the world run into ? how ìnftantly would it be turned into a very fhambles ? how would men, the greateft part of men, turn like roring lions and ravening wolves,as cru- el tygers,or favage wild boars, one to another ? how would it be filled with violence, rapine and blood ? how would the greateft and moff abominable' villanies walk up and down in it,in the very ftreets and concourfes of the people, uncontrouled, bare -faced, not in mafquerade,or under any difguife ? how would reafonable men be as fo many in carnate devils, or brute beafts ? Such would take heed that this be not found to be the interpretative language of thefd thoughts ; O that there were not fuch a thing as Confci ence, God's deputy, in men in the world ! and, O that there were not a God to appoint, commiflionate and efta blifh fuch deputies under him ! I fhall not deny, having plainly afferted it before, that an ill- informed Confcience,' Waited efpecially with any forwardnefs, may make very, fad work amongft men, and prove a very troublefom and cumberfome neighbour : But, alas! why fhould the blame be laid on Confcience as Confcience? what evil bath irnocent Confcience done ? The general great advantages that come to the world, with the many mifchiefs that are kept off it by Confcience, are infinitely greater, and more valuable, than any little prejudices and difadvantages that now atnd then, here and there, come by the ill informed turbu- lent Confciences of fome particular perfons; neither will I altogether deny, but the tendereft Confciencei of truly godly men may fometime difpofe them to jealous and fufpe& themfelves where they are not indeed guilty, ás it did the eleven honeft difciples, when the Lord told them that one of the twelve fhould betray him, and, tho.. row force weaknefs, may now and then difquíet and give them the alarm, when there is little or now ground for it : But I Muff fay, that this may be very eafily difp penfed and born with, fnce that little damage, if it may be called fo, will be eafily and quickly compenfed by its giving the alarm, and caúfing fuitable difquiet, when there is ju(f ground for ir,' Here a tender Confcience may be refembled to a vigilant and ftriti fentincl Pet to'vvatch a houfe lying in the midit of thieves and robbers; whci' Will fometirnes osa a miltake awake and alarms' and, it. ma Cz bé:=
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