86 ' 4 treatife of Confcience. anger reReth upon us andour conferences feel it, this is another eau fe of the trouble of confcience. 3. A third caute of the trouble ofcon fcience is the fear of death and of hell : When we know we have offended Gods law, and we know altowhat our f nnes do deferve, namely death and judgement and damnation for ever; this doth molt trouble and difquiet confcience, when it faftneth on the appre- henfion of it. The Apoftle calleth it a fearfull looting for of judgement, When confcience looketh for nothing elk but for hell and damnation, this muff needs trouble conlcience, 4. Another caute is privative, want of fitpportance ; when God doth with-hold from confciencethe help of his Spirit. Ye know the Spirit can finable confcience to undergo all its trou- bles ; the S pirit can prompt it with mercies and the promifes of God, and hold it up : but when the Lord bereaveth the confcience of this help, and doth not at all lupport it, this mußt needs alto trouble confcience. S. When God Both fàflen on the confcienee fuch thoughts as may affright and terrifie it ; as thus, God loth not love me ; Chrit will not own me 1 have finned, I am a reprobate, pafß hope, &c. When fuch thoughts as there fallen on the confcience, it cannot choolè then but be troubled. Thus I have (hewed you what are the caufes of the trouble ofconfèience. Secondly , This trouble of confcience confifteth in two things : Firft, in want of comfort : It cannot apply to it (elf neither the promifes of this life nor of that which is to come. Confcience crieth, This belengeth not to me : This mercy, this comfort is not my portion. Secondly, In a terrour and anguifh of mind from there three heads : i. From the guilt offinne ; z, From the apprehenfion ofßods wrath ; 3. From fear of death and of judgement. This is the three- ftringed whip wherewith confcience is Liked. Thee ye !hall find upon the con fcience of Adam and Eve, when they had finned againft God. Their con- fcience was whipped. i . With the guilt of finne ; they flow hey were nekgd,Gen. 3.7. z. With the apprehenfion of Gods wrath ; they kid thesrfelves from the prefence of God, verl. S. 3. With the
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