52 i ATreatifeof Confcience. By this we fee the dangerous eftate of thole men who have fuch a confcience. There be many who live in many fumes, in carnall courfes , forme in company - keeping and drunkenneffe; Come in hatred and v arience, force in chambering and wanton- nef e, Tome incovetoufhefie and ,love of this prefent world your consciences, no queflion, can fay, yee Aould do well to be more godly , to look,,more after Chrifl and after heaven, and yee fhoulddo Well toget the truth of faving grace ; yet it may be they fay nothing or nothing to the purpofe in this behalf, Therefore is thefè mens cafe fo dangerous becaufe their con- fciences are fo filent and fo remifl'e, They have loft the molt fovereigne remedy, namely confcience. Confcience is themoll fovereigne means (under God and his holy spirit) to work re- pentance in men that can be ; and is it not dangerous to have it prove traiterons and unfaithful ? What good can the mini- ftry of the Word dountoyouwhen every idle and falle excufe or pretenfe which the wifdom of the fieih candevife, can ftop the mouthof your confcience when it calleth upon you to do what the Word requireth ? It mutt needs be dangerous , and fo much the more becaufe it is fo pleatingunto you: ye take de- light in fuch filent, and large, and remiRe unfaithful con- fciences; ye love not to have your confciences too bule with you, ye like not that your confciences fhould be too clamorous and importunate with you; ye would have them not too rigid and vehement againft your frnes. It fareth with you as withmany young men who have fold them- felves unto folly, and think none their friends but paratites that flatter them, or thofewho connive and wink at their folly: but fuch friends will foon prove foes,and fo will fuch moderate and quiet confciences. It is a dangerous thing to have fuch a :lent confcience ; to want the chief means under God of doing a mangood. It was confcience that told the Lepers , Wedo not well to hold our peace: It was confcience that never would let the Prodigal Tonne be quiet till he returned to his father , and faidunto him, I have finnedagainff heaven andbefore thee, and amno more worthy to be calledthy Tonne : It is confcience that is the Kings 7.
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