ATreatif o fConfienoe. I. The quiet of a good confcience arifeth from a diftinEt knowledgeof the word of God, and of the precepts and pro- miles conteined in it : But the quiet of an evil confcience ari- feth from ignorance : When men know not God nor his holy word, which fhould bind confcience, they fear nothing becaufe they fee nothing; theyknow not the danger of fin : Like a blind man handing before the mouth of a cannon, he feareth no danger becaufe he feeth none : fo carnali men fear not becaufe they know not what caufe they have to fear. Their very pray- er! that they make are an abomination to God, and they know it not : their good duties they do are all like cockatrices egs, and they know it not; they know not that they are in the bond of iniquity, in thefnare ofthe devil. Their confciences are quiet becaufe they know not what caufe they have to be otherwife. This is onedifference ; The quiet and peace of a good confci. ence arifeth from light and from knowledge; the quiet and peace ofan evil confcience, from darkneffe and ignorance. 2. Thequiet ofa good confcience arifeth from a dueexamina' Heb, i o. tion ofour felves by the word , and purging of our confciences. ZZ. Confcience never can be good without purging and fprinkiing ; no nor without a due examination : the quiet of a good confci- ence arifed from this. Whereas the quiet of a wicked mans con- fcience arifeth from want of this : He never examineth his con- fcience, but letteth it fleep till God a wake it with horrour. I fay, a wicked mans confcience fleepeth, and that maketh it quiet , and he is not troubled nor molefted with it. Like abaillifor fer- geant fallen afleep by theway ; the defperate dcbtour whom he lieth inwait for, may pafl"e by him then, and find him very quiet, and not offer to arreft him : or like a curft dog fallen afleep; a {hanger may patte by him then and not be meddled with : Such like is this quiet evil confcience. 3. The quiet of a good confcience arifeth from a good ground, from the worksof Gods Spirit, from true laving grace, from righteoufnefie. Rom. t 4.t7. we reade of righteoufnefJ'e and peace : True peace of confcience arifeth from righteoufnefle whereas the falle peace of the wicked arifeth only from vain K 2 hopes
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