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A
Treatif
o
f
Conf
ienoe.
I.
The
quiet
of
a
good
confcience
arifeth
from
a
diftinEt
knowledge
of
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;
they
know
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
the
fnare of
the
devil.
Their
confciences are
quiet
becaufe
they
know
not
what
caufe
they
have
to
be
otherwife.
This
is
one
difference
;
The
quiet and
peace
of
a
good
confci.
ence
arifeth
from light
and from
knowledge;
the quiet
and
peace
of
an evil
confcience, from darkneffe and
ignorance.
2.
The
quiet
of
a
good
confcience arifeth
from
a
due
examina'
Heb,
i
o.
tion
of
our
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
a
baillif
or
fer-
geant
fallen
afleep
by
the
way
;
the defperate
dcbtour
whom
he lieth
in
wait
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 works
of
Gods
Spirit, from true
laving
grace,
from
righteoufnefie.
Rom. t
4.t7.
we reade
of
righteoufne
fJ'e
and
peace
:
True
peace
of
confcience
arifeth
from
righteoufnefle
whereas the
falle
peace
of
the wicked arifeth only
from
vain
K
2
hopes