r4.8 d treatt f e of Wiper/CC, their finnes and infirmities, and takeno notice of Gods graces that are in them, and io may milt. ke their own selves, and conclude amuse of their effaces. Thus J have (hewed you the reaiòns why men are mittaken about their eftates. Now J will (hew you the reasons why men are mdtaken though confci- ence do tell them, r . Becaufe :Le fpeeches of' confcience in the wicked many times, yea molt times, are low fpeeches. The gnawings of con - iaeuce whereby they are cold they are in a bad and a damned e(tate are like the gnawings of a very little worm that a man tfa.66.t4 can hardly feel. Whirs ;heir worm dreth not : The word in the originals , f:gnitieth a very little worm that breedeth in fcárler, that a man, can very hardly fee or perceive : fo men fometimcs do hardly lee or perCCe :ve the condemning and gnaw- ¡ ing of confcience. Again, conleiencc biteth fuddenly, as J told you ; it giveth a little nip, and away : Like a iparrow that flieth by ; it fiieth fo fait by a mans eye that he can fcarce tell whether it be a iparrow or no : So it is not e_dily perceived whether it be a condemning conf ience or no : it giveth tech fudden nips, and away, that men feldome cake notice. Be- loved, there is never a wicked man under heaven ; unletfe he be delivered up abfolutely to a reprobate fenfe, but hath a thou - fand of thefe sudden rnomentany nips every day in the yeare. Had be the heart to observe them ( but he hath not) he might fee his wretched eftate, to trouble hire, and provoke hula to Chrift , and to be converted -that God might heal him; J say, had be a heart he might lee it : but there nips are fo ferret and fudden that he Both not: So likewie it is with the godly m regard of true comfort : 'Their confcience fuddenly flafheth in comfort , and they nnäny times do not obferve it. As Job Inb gtc c. fpcaketh of God. Lo. he forth by me and t fie him not : he paffethon alfo and ILercers4 him not : So cloth the Lord go by his children in the hidden f files of comfort n their confci- ence, but many times they fee him not. perceive him not. Becaufe the devil blindeth mgrs eyes. therefore they do not feé what theirconfcienees do (hew' them. Ye may rth s
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