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24
M.
Pro-
pofition,
The
office
ofconfci-
ence
is
to
bear
wit-
nel3é.
Rom,
9,
I,
4-
Foure
Proper-
ties
of'
Coníci-
ence.
A
Treatife
of
Goïiaf
ciexece.
other
which was
propounded
Taft
to
be
the third
in
the hand-
ling, and
it
is
this.
Propo(ition
I
I
I.
The
office
of
Confcience
is
to
bear
Witne
fre,
to
accufe or
ex cure.
Onfcience
is
put into
this
office by
God
himfelf.
It
is
Gods
officer
;
not
onely
his
regifter.book that
(hall be
opened
at the
day
of
judgment
,
wherein
is
fet
down
our thoughts,
words
and deeds
;
but
it
is
a
preacher
aifo
to
tell
us
our duty
both
towards
God
and
towards
man
;
yea,
it
is a
powerfull
preacher
;
it exhorteth, urgeth, provoketh;
yea,the moll pow-
erfull
preacher
that
can
be ;
it
will
caufe
the
ftouteít
and
flub
-
borne
t
heart under
heaven
to
quake
now
and
then
;
it
will ne-
ver let
us
alone till
it
have
brought
us
either to
God
or
to
the
Devil.
Confcience
is
joyned
in
commi[ïìon
with Gods own
fpirit
to
be an
inftru
Tour
unto
us
in
the
way we fhould walk
fo
that
the fpirit and
it are
refilled
or
obeyed
together,
grieved
or
delighted
together; We
cannot
[inne
againfl confcience
but
we
finne alfo
againít
Gods
fpirit
;
we
cannot
check
our owne
confciences
but
we
check
and
quench the
holy fpirit
of
God.
The
office
of
confcience
to
our
felves
is,
to
bear witneffe;
My
confcience
beareth
me
Witnefe,
faith
Paul.
Confcience
is
alwayes ready
to
do
this office,
if
it (hall
at
any
time
be
invited
unto
it
;
For
confcience
looketh
fometimes
for
inviting; fome-
times it
will
not
bear witneffe
unleffe we
invite
it
and
call
upon
it
fo
to
do.
But
there
will come
a
time when
it
will
do
it and
mull do
it,
and (hall
do it,
namely
at death
or
at
judgment;then
it
will
bear
witneffe
wether
men invite
it
or
no.
Now
it
may
be fuppreffed and filenced and
kept
under from
witnefíing; but
then
it mull bear
witneffe and [hall,
either
excufing
or
accufing,
acquitting or condemning,
when God
(hall
judge
the
fecrets of
mens
hearts,
as
the Apoflle fpeaketh.
The
properties that
are
given
unto
confcience in
the
dif-
charge
of
its
office, are
four
;
1.
It
is
fupreme;
a.
It
is
impar-
tiall;
3.
It
is
faithfull;
4
It
is
privie.
I.
It