7. A ten- derconfci- ence. I Sam; 24, 5.. r Sam. 6. t9,. Numb Z y s, A flee py confci- ence. A Treatife ofConfcience. in thedifcharge of thefe offices; and they arefoure : T. A tender confcience ; 2. A fleepie confcience', 3. A benumbed confcience ; 4. A feared confcience. Firft, a tender confcience ; that is , a confcience touched with the leaft Caine, and checkingus for the leaf{ finne ; as for vain thoughts, exorbitant paflìons, idle words, and the like. Such wasDavids confcience,which fmote him for cutting off the lap of Sails garment. Such was Zacchem his confcience, which troubled him for fuppofed finnes : If1 have wronged any man,, faithhe. He did not know ; but his confcience was fo tender that it made him careful! ofifs. This tender confcience is a fin- gular blefling ofGod : And if we desire to attain unto it we mull labour to fee the odioufnefie of finne, yea the malignity and exceedingevil there is in the leaft finne : this will makeus tender of it. Secondly, we mutt labour to mourn for every fin though it feem little : this alfo will keep our confciences tender. Andwe have great caufe to prize a tender confcience. What got the Bethfhemices by riot being tender in confcience ? They looked into the Ark, and becaufe they durft venture upon it,the Lord (mote fifty thoufandof them at once. What got the man that gathered flicks on the Sabbath fornot being tender in con- fcience ? He was Honed todeath. Confcience fhould tender the leaf) commandment of God,and fo be tender of the commit- ting the leaf) finne. This confcience is a greatbleffing. The fecond affe hon of confcience is ileepinef e. A fleepy confcience is not fo quick in finking us as it ought either it checks not,or elfe with fuch faintneffe that it worketh not up- on us,ic maketh us never the more watchful! againfl Gnne. This we fee by many who can commit fuch finnes without trouble or difquiet as would bring otherson their knees and make them . walkheavily longatter.This fleepy confcience is very dangerous: it maketh men as ready to fall into the fame finnes to morrow as today, and next day as to morrow : it letteth them fee their faults, but amendeth none becaufe this is fucha confcience as dothnot caufe men to feel the burden of their finnes. A man can never come to Chrifl as long as he hath a fleepy confcience;; becaufe.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=