112 d treatife of Confcience. A firme , I. To a good confcience that is foundly renewed five things 'canlc;ence are neceffary. a. Knowledge of Gods will, and that which doth follow the true knowledge of his will, namely true humiliation and fear. By nature the confcience is blind and lturdy and ven- turous ; and therefore it is neceffary that it f oúld be illightened to underfiand the will of God and to prefle it : and again it is neceffary that the heart fhould be humbled, or elfe it will nor ffoop to Gods will : and it is neceffary alto that this holy fear fhould fall upon the heart, that it may not dare to tranfgreffe. Sr,Peter being to fpcak of á good confcience, premifeth all,thefe as necefláric thereunto : Firft he adyifeth that Chriflians have kn.wlcdge to be able to give areafoú íf the hope that is in them ; and then that they fhould have meeknef and fear, for to do it : r Pet. 3 with meekneffe asd fear, faith he , having a good confcience. si,r6 Mark ; Knowledge and meeknefie and fear are required to make a good confcience; without them the confcience cannot be good. By naturewe are all blind, and flubborn, and fear - lefle.of finning : and therefore till we be cured of there evils, our confciences cannot be good. a. The fecond thing is a watchfulneffe and warfare agiinfl Fume : This is required too to a renewed good confcience. By nature we are drowfie, and careleffe, and fecure, and do not Rand upon our guard to wage warre againft our lofts and the defires of our fiefs ; and fo long our conlciences can never be goad : and therefore this fpirituall watchfulneffe and maintaining warre againft finne is required to the having a good confcience : That there maif warre a good warrefare , faith Paul to Timothie, having faith and agood confcience, t . Tim. t . 18, a 9.. Some who fèemed to have á good conlcience, becaufe they did. not maintain this holy warfare againft Gnne and the flefb, they have loft it : Therefore this is another requifite required to a good confcience. 3. The third is tenderneffe of confcience. By nature our hearts are fealed, and dead, and unclean : and therefore we mull get us tender and pure hearts if we would have good renewed
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