4P A rreatife of Confcaence. poffible the fire fhould be without heat, fo it is impoffible that any man fhould be without a confcience. Indeed we ufe to fay, fuch a one hath no confcience: but our meaning is,that he hath no good confcience.But every one bath a confciëce either good or bad. The Lord ingraved confcience in man when he created him at firf.True it is,fince the fall of man confcience is miferab- ly corrupted; but man can never put it off;Confcience continu- eth for ever in every man, whether he be in earth, or heaven, or hell. The molt bate and devillifh profanelings in the world have a confcience : Let them choke it or fmother it as much as they can, let them whore it, or game it, or drink it away as much as they are able for their hearts ; yet confcience will con- tinue in fpight of their teeth, r. No length of time can wear this confcience out. What made ?ofephs brethren to remember the cruel ufage they (hew- ed him but confcience ? It was about twenty years before; yet they could not wear it out. 2.No violence nor force is able to fuppreffe confcience, but' that one day or other it will fhew it fell. What made ?udas go and carry back the money that he betrayed our saviour for, and alfo to cry out, I have finned, but confcience ? No queftion but he laboured to luppreffeit, but he could not. 3. No greatnef.e nor power is able to Rifle confcience, but that it will one day like a bandog flie in a (inners face. What made Pharaoh cry out, I am wicked, but con fcience ? He was a great King, and yet he was not able to over -power con- fcience. 4. No mufick, mirth or jovializing can charm confcience, but it will play the devil to a wretched foul for all that. What was the evil fpirit that came upon Saul of melancholly, but confcience? He thought to allay it with inítrutnents of mufick, but it fill came again. 5. Death it fell is not able to part confcience from a finer. W hat is that worm that (hall never die, but only confcience ? and in hell confcience is its that fire that never goeth out. I confefle force feeme to have loft confcience quite ; They D can 17
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