A frerzt fe of Gonfcience. ( 25 . IC is fupreme: It hath higheft authority; it is the molt un- controlable and ableft witnef e that can be; the greateft,weigh- tieft witneffe in the world ; better then ten thoufand witnef fes. Though all the world do condemne us,yet if our own con - fciences do not, we need not fear : And fo on the contrary, if confcience do condemne us, it will be fmall comfort though all the world flitter and commend and excufe us . It is a fu- preme witneffe . Though all the Angels in heaven fhould come and beare witneffe, their witnefle is not fo uncontrol- able as confcience is. There is no appealing from the witneffe of confcience; we muff be tried by it . If confcience do accufe and condemne us, the Lord only is greater then our confcience, c. john 3.2o. and will give judgment with it when it cloth its office. And if our confcience do not condemne us, we may be confident to Rand before all the judges and kings in the world, yea, We may have confidence towar-dsGod, faith the text. 2. And as confcience is fupreme in bearing of witneffe, fo allo it is fu- preme in commanding. All the commands of it are powerfull and fupreme : it will not be flighted : it bindeth kings and princes : Nay, though God himfelfe command the contrary, yet can we not difobey confcience without (inne. By this it ap peareth, that when confcience cloth witneffe its wit: eff'e is fupreme ; when confcience commandeth, its command is fupreme. 2. Confcience as it is fupreme in witneffing or commanding, fo it isimpartiall in judging. It refpedtech no perlons, no e- Rates, but accufeth the richer as well as the pooreft, the great - eft as well as the meaneft. It made great Belfhazzer fo to quake that thejoynts of his loyns were loo fed, and his knees fmote one againft another, Dan. 5. e. It made great Felix to tremble to heare Paul (peak of righteoulnelle and of judgement. Felix thought to (care Raul; but confcience feared Felix, so on the other fide, it is impariiall in excuing. It will give evidence of the good works of the pooreft in the world, as well as of the wealthieft. Art thou never fo mean ?thy confcience will be as ready to excufe thee if thou haft done well, as if thouwert the E greateft
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