A rreatireof Gonfcience. 45 meat offend my brother, I well eat no flefh while the world fland- eth, verf. 13. It isa grievous offence to offend the confcience o the weak ; and therefore beware of it They are very un- chriflian fpeeches, Iknow mine oWn liberty : If others be offen- ded. What care I ? whatfhould Iprejudice my felffor them ? It is true, another mans confcience cannot abbridge meof my liber- ty : but yet I in charity ought to fufpend the aaof my liberty when I know the ufing it will give offence to the weak. 1V. To admonifh our felves if confcience be fo tender a thing, to be careful that we offend not our own confèiences. Confcience is quickly offended ; but it is not fo loon pacified. Everynotorious ftep into evil, or neglect in duty, offendeth confcience ; and confcience will keep a grudge a long time, and will give many a fecret wound, deading the heart toduty, ma- king faith and confidence in God dull : we cannot pray with courage, nor come beforeGod with boldneff'e. ifour hearts condemneus not, ire have confidence, faith john. An erroneous confcience will defile you; a doubting confcience diflraft you ; a fcrupulousconfcienceunlettle you : but above all other, an illightned confcience, if it have any thing againfi you, will ex- ceedinglydifable you; this flabbeth at the heart your confi- dence towards God. Go then and labour topurge confcience, elfe confciencewill hinder you, whether you pray, or hear, or receive the Sacrament, &c. It will deprive youof comfort. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remembrefi that thy brother hath ought againfl thee,leave there thygift before the Al- tar : firfigoandbe reconciled to thy brother, and then come andof- fer thygift. The cafe is greater and more dangerous when con- fcience hash Ibmething againft us : there is nooffering will be accepted until confcience be fatisfied. If thou fhouldit be about to pray, and confciencè fhould hand up agairdt thee as an ad- verfary, and tell thee thou haft been vain, and look, and car- nal all this day, thou haft not fet thy felf to keep dole to God this day, thouhail fallen into this and that finçe this day; thou art not fit to pray till thou haft reconciled thy felf to confci- ence : Alas, thyconfcience will fecretly undermine all thy praying Vfe 4. z John3. 21. Ma. 5. ,
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