Arreatift o fConfience. any thing that might give it advantage againft us. If we were to appear before an earthly judge to anfwer for our behaviour, and fhould have a companion prefent continually with us,mark- ing every thing in us, telling us of every fault, and witneffing it againtI us unto the judge, how careful would we be of doing any thing that might give him advantage againfi us ? Lo, we have confcience as a continual wath-man , efpying out all our wayes, letting down what ever we do amifle, checking us for it for the prefent, and one day acculing us before God, and let- ting all things in order before our faces ; Oh how fhould we then labour to get into Chrilt Jefús, that our confciences may be purged in his bloud,and Rudy all our life long to keep peace and friendfhip with them. Wo be to them who live in their Eames! They will need noother witneffe co corne again(} them tocondemn them for ever, but this witneffe conscience which lyeth continually in their bofoms. This I have fpoken for the office of confcience, which is to bear witneffeeither withus or againfl us : Now the parts of this bearing witnefie are,ñrfi, its angle witneffing ; fecondly, its judicial witnefling. By fingle bearing r itneffe, I mean that confcience beareth witneffe what we have done , and what we do, and what we intend to do, and what we are : By judi- cial' bearing witneffe, I mean that confcience Both paffe fenrence on the fame whether it be good or evil, whether it be concern- ing the aection or the perfon. Firfi, therefore of the ( inglebearing witneffe of confcience; And that is about three things: r.What we have done: 2,What we intend todo; 3. What is the frame and bent of our heart. r. It beareth witneffe what we have done; what in our childhood, what in our youth, what in our riper age, what o- penly, what fecretly. Thole things which fèem to be forgotten, confcience will remember them to us : Like a writing in mar- ble, though it may be filled and choked with duff and covered with rubbifh, yet when that is done away, and the (lone Iwept clean, then the writing will appear legible ; fo though mens deeds may for the prefent Teem to be forgotten, yet they are E a written 27 Ofconfci- enccs fin- gle bear- ing wit- ne ire. i i
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