Fenner - BV4500 F466 1651

A Treatife o f Confcience. 5.A faith - full con- fcience. Prov.zo.6 Properties: i, lt is watchfull. praying. f' irft, therefore reconcile confcienceby humbling thy (elf, and breaking thy heart, and refolving, I have finned, I will do no more.When confcience can fay thy forrow and repentance, and refolution for new obedience is lincere, then thou art fit to pray, but not before. So whatever other duty thou goeít a bout, be Lure to reconcile confcience; elfe all will mil - carry. V. AfaithfulConfcience. Tl Hus I have expounded the adjun s ofconfcience, which (hew thtmfelves in the difcharge ofits duty, namely, fuch as refpea confciences ability to the doing ofit : Which, as ye have heard, are foute : z. An illightned confcience; 2. An er- roneous confcience ; ?. A doubting confcience ; 4. A fcrupu- lous confcience. Now followeth thofe whichdo accompany it in the doingof its duty : And they are two ; i. A faithful con- fcience ; 2. An unfaithful confcience. A faithful confcience is that which dothalways allvife and counfel right when need is.This is a very rare confcience:It is rareto Linda confcience every way faithful.For,to fay the truth, confcience is always faithful in it (elf; for it knoweth not how todeal deceitfully with any man: but yet I may fay, as Solomon, Afaithful manwho canfind ? fo, e.4faithful confcience who can find ? It is a very rare thing. Not for any deceit that is incon- fcience it feif, but becaufe men commonly would have it un- faithful ; therefore a confcience that will not let men make it unfaithful though they would, fuch a confcience I call a faithful confcience : and 'I fay it is rare. But fuch a confcience there is ; and it bath three properties : z, it is watchful ; 2. It is rigid andLvere ; 3. It is importunate. 1. A faithful confcience is watchful, always awake to appre hend everyopportunity ofdoingand receivinggood, or rtlft -. ing evil. As when there is an opportunity to pray, toheare, to (hewmercy, a faithful confcience will remember us of it, and put us upon it : as allo when there is any opportunityof quick- Ding and edifying our (elves or other 's. It was a watchful con- fcience

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