A freatife of Gor fcience. 33 done or omitted : where I (hall confider, firft, the office of confcience in this behalf, viz.:. To judge, 2. To counfel : and then the adjuncts of confcience in dilcharging this office. r. Confcience judgeth of a thing to be done, whether it be good or evil, lawful or unlawful. As we try the weight of gold by a pair of balances, fo confcience trieth all our actions by Gods word. It is the oracle of God : As the Jews went to Gods oracle to enquire of the Lord, fo our confcience is Gods oracle to enquire of and to determine of things whether they be good or evil! : It is a judge in the bofome. W hen the queflion in Corinth was, whether women fhould be uncovered when they pray, the Apoftle fendeth them to confcience for judge- ment. Ìudge in your (elves, faith he, whether it be comely or no; that is, Put it to the judgement of your own confciences. so fay the difciples to the Jews ; whether it be better to obey god or man, judgeye , Put it to your own confciences. Thus ye fee it is the office of confcience to judge of an action to be dine whether it be good or bad , lawful! or unlawful!. 2. The fècond office of confcience is to counfel for the doing of that which is good,forbearing of that which is evil. This is that faithfull friend in our bofome, that voice within us and be- hind us, fayinq,This is the way; walk. in it. M.rk the words there; ye fee there two offices of confcience. This is the way ; there is the judgement of confcience : and wake in it; there is the counfel of confcience. Nay, confcience doch not only give good counfel, but ifit have leav e it will bring arguments to perfwade to follow it : it will tell us the thing is wel- p'eafing to God, of good report, that which will bring peace to our hearts, And fo on the contrary, if it be evil , e irdcience will counfell us to forbear, yea bring arguments to dülevade ; O do it not :it will tend to the dijhonour ofGod, and be of nfive to others, and Woundour fouls, &c. It was confcience that with -held David from killing Saul, and p: eft him from it by a firong ar gument, O he is the Lords annoynted. It was cc,rfctence that with held Iofephfrom yeilding co the enticings of .:is Miftrefl'e, and yeilded him an argument to difl'wade him from it Horn F fbb,t111 r. Conici, encejudg. eth. ICor,tr. I;. z. Confci encccoun fcileth.. Ira 30.21. I Sam.z¢. 10.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=