124 treatife of Cmrfczence. Ao`tr ay,. i<s. Canfci- eneo inter lincth. Ath s4, sf hare folemnly dealt with him indeed : but he thut red it off, and would not find time ; Go thy way at this time, faithhe to Paul ; twill heare theeat a more convenient time. And fo he Paid to his confcience too. Conlcience would take a folemn and fet time to inform men what their efcaces are ; but men will not fuflcr them : and therefore confcience is fain to take fuch fuddeiz times as it can get. Ye will ask, What times be they ? anfwer. Firft, when confcience interlineth: As for example, in thehearingof the word : While men are hearing the word, it may be the Preacher preacheth of holineffe, and a wicked man heareth it ; But yhave it not, faith his confcience. M. rk ; his confcience inteilineth. It may bethe preacher is preaching how defperately careleffe men are of their fouls hcwv they look to every thing more then to them ; conieience irate,l inerh, This is my cafe. it may be he is preaching againft Aduherie; I his firms JI have c.srmitteol faith a guiltie confcience : or againfi ruffling upon Gods ordinances without preparation ; Ibr: is my conftant courfe, faith an evill mans conscience. It may b the preacher is preaching of conver(ïcn and becoming a new creature in Chrif} ; this I am yet toPeek, in, filth Con science: Thus confcience inter lineth : Though the Irian heareth on, an it may be taketh lit,le to heart, yet confience interlineth a fud- den information of his wretched cflate. Like a bird that flied. loy, or like a fwïft-fhor, arrow, that is prefncc1y out of fight, fo it may be a man taketh very lirtic notice of it. Like the fore- named Felix : as Paul was preaching of righteoufheffe and tempereance, I kawe it not, faith his confierce ; and ofjed7e. ment to come, Whatfbóall I do then ? faith his con (cience. Thus confcience interlined, and made him tremble on t fúdden like a fiidden fhivering of a cold, or a fudden fhrtle of a man af. frighted, and away it was gone quickly. J befeech you obferve your own bofhmes. Do ye not feel this now and then at a fermon, when ye heare it ? do not your conicietices interline can sermons and put in parenthefes now and t -:en ? When ye heare iirch and filch a fin reproved;cord°mned, And this is myfrn,faith' conscience : when ye beam thefè and thefe graces coalmened, Ared
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