A rreatire of Confcience. 45 meat offend my brother, l will eat no fisfb while the world (land- eth, verf. 13. It is a grievous offence to offend the confcience !. oithe weak; and therefore beware of it They are veryun- chriftian fpeeches, I know mine own liberty : If others be ofen- ded, What care I ? what fbould I prejudice my Pelf for them ? It is true, another mans confcience cannot abbridge me of my liber- ty r but yet I in charity ought to fufpend the at of my liberty when I know the ufìng it will give offence to the weak. IV. To admonifh our felves if confcience be fo tender a thing, to be careful that we offend not our own confciences. Confcience is quickly offended ; but it is not fo Coon pacified. Every notorious Prep into evil, or neglect in duty, offendeth confcience ; and confcience will keep a grudge a song time, and will give many a fecret wound, deading the heart to duty, ma- kingfaith and confidence in God dull: we cannot pray with courage, nor come before G,od with boldneffe. i four hearts condemne us not, we have confidence, faith john. An erroneous confcience will defile you; a doubting confcience diftrae you ; a fcrupulous confcience unfettle you : but above all other, an illightned confcience, if it have any thing againft you, will ex- ceedingly difable you; this Itabbeth at the heart your confi- dence towards God. -Go then and labour to purge confcience, elfe confcience will hinder you, whether you pray, or hear, or receive the Sacrament, &c. It will deprive you of comfort. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remembrefl that thy brother hath ought againfi thee leave there thy gift before the Al- tar r firft go and be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and of- fer thy gift. The cafe is greater and more dangerous when con- fcience hath fomething againit us : there is no offering will be accepted until confcience be fatisfied. If thou fhouldit be about to pray, and confcience fhould stand up against thee as an ad- verfary, and tell thee thou haft been vain, and lode, and car- nal all this day, thou haft not fet thy Pelf to keep dole to .God this day, thou haltfallen into this and that finne this day; thou art not fit to pray till thou hafl reconciled thy Pelf to. confci- ence Alas, thy confcience will fecretly undetmine all thy praying 7J fe 4. John 3. zt, Ma. 03,
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