Fenner - Houston-Packer Collection BX5037 .F46 1651

to drdwfle SAINTS, Now the effe &s of thefe be. Firft Joy, when the confci- ence does its- duty towards God, and makes a man doe his duty too, thisworketh Joy in his heart; as Paullayes. This is our rejeyeing even the regime", of our Confcience, that with fneerity and godlypureneffe we have bad our eonverfarien in the world, a Cor, l .r z. There is no joy like this joy ; wicked men may laugh, and fèeme as merry as crickets, but in the audit of their laughter, their Confcience gives them but cold comfort; now when a man hath filch a Confcience as this, thate,fets him about that which is good, this makes him have truer joy then all the world betides; for howbeit the world are be.otted, that they doe not looke after God,; Yet the conscience knowes it is gocdne(fe onely that will plcafe God ; and therefore when the confeience is privy to this, no tongue can 1peake what joy this is unto one Secondly, another effe& is boldneffe and freedome from fiavifh feare There's a deale of feare in a mans heart, aslong as he does not ferve God, and doe the things that are pleating in his eyes,though it may be people doe not feele this fame feare as long as they arc well and tufty , but let but confci- ence be awakened, or let death íeize upon them, then afeare will appease, O how afraid are they to goe before God. But let a man have fuch a living Con cience as this, this gives a man boldnefle. The righteaut are at bold as a Lyon,Prov.28.t . Thy confcsence is an admirable thing.; with this all a mass boldncffe is nothing. Thou maifl hold up thy head very high, and out -face all the world for a time, as bold as can be ; tuth thou art well thought Of among all thy neighbours, but what farts thy Confciencc? If that cannot fay thou art a gracious man, J tell .thee thou cull' have no boidneffe. But now if thou haft this fame living confcience, now thou maid be as bold as a Lyon; though the world doe accufethee, yet what fayes thy Contesence? 1f that excufe thee, thou maidfksen thy face, where thoutands fls ll bé confounded ; when Ai airs was accu fed by Secund'ntes to have come from the Manicbees for feare ofloffe, and for hope of preferment, he comforted O o z himfelfe 2, l

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=