Renewing of tbc Collftiellce. ·661 Revrlation: Hence it is that Conflienct is enabled to form fuch a Propofition as this, rh that btlit'lm /ha/1 be fovul, he thAt believn not Jha/1 be damrud. This Propofition it. forms not from natural Light, but from the fuper-induced Light of Scripr~~.re. Thi~ is the firft dirca Act of Confetcnce, whereby it pronounceth ot Men's \Vorks, whether they be finful or not) and what the Reward or Punifhment is that fl1all follow them, according as it finds it written in the dark and imperfe8: Law of Nature, or in the fuperadded Law o( God. (2.) Secondly, When Confciencc. hath thus pronounced whether the AC\:ion be 2.. good or bad, and what Reward or PuniJJlment. belong ~-o . it, it's next Office is to .lt ruir~t{<a wirnefi and .depofe, we have done fuch or fuch AChons; thts IS a reflex ACt, whereby ~eth 411 h1 when ConftJence bath' difcovcred what is Sin and what is Duty, it teftifics that either epoJer • we·have performed the one, or that we have committed the other: The Scriptur• reveals, that Faith ihal1 be rewarded with eternal Life, and Unbelicf punifhed with Death eternal; hereupon CMfcience makes rdieCUon upon it felf and appli~ the Propofition, but I believe or I do not believe, and that is its witneffing or depofing Office. (3.) Thirdly, It bath befides this, the Office of a 'Judge to acquit or condemn; 3· . and this it doth by inferring a comfortable or a terrifying Condufion from the it ~&qum former Premifes, applying the Reward or Punifhment to our felvcs, according~,~;;. as thofe ACtions have been ours to which they belong: If it hath proved us Un# believers, !trait it pronounceth us condemned Perfons, or if it evidences our Faith to u~, prefcntly it juftifies and acquits us: Hence it is that wicked Men arc haunt• cd with p:1le Fears and ghafily Refleaions, becaufe they are· always MalefaEI:orJ arraigned at a Bar, a Bar that they carry about with them in their own Breafts, where they hear a thouf:md Witnejfes [worn and. examined, where they hear thcit 'Judge Ten thoufand times a Day pronouncing them Curfed. and Damned. And hence it is alfo that there is fometimes ditfufed into the Hearts of God's Children fuch fweet Joy, fuch folid Peace, fuc~ calm Suyednefs, and fome Prelib"ation of heavenly Blifs, becaufe they carry in their Breafts a Court of 'Judicature where their -earthly 'Ju~rre Confdence acqtJits them, and affi1res them that their hea'1Jndy <judge will do fo alfo. This is Confcience, that faithful Rcgifler in every Man's Bofom, that writes down the Aaions, Difcourfes and Cogitations of every Hour and Minute. Now this being promifed concerning the Nature and Offices of Confciettce, I fha11 come in the next place to enquire into thefe following Particulars, into which 1 Jhall digeft the method of this SubjeCt. (1.) Firfr, What it u that doth corrupt and'1Jitiate Confci~nce, (2.) Secondly, What it U to have a clear Confcience. c~-) Thi!·dly, 0( what lmportan:e and Conhqumce it is th.u OU"I" Confciences be kept clear1md 9o:d of 0/]tnce; under which I fuall r,tve you the Reafons of the Point. (4.) Fourthly, !/hall/ay down fome Rules a11d Means whcrtbywe may attain unto and kup 11 pure and clean Corrfcir:nce. (I.) Firft, 1Vhat U it tbt:t doth corrupt and vitiate Con(citnce in executing of itJ Oj]icn. Wlm'f.ll. No\v this 1 lltal1 couch under Two Particulars; and they are, Ignorance and wil.. ti.zuund ful Sinning. <orru~rs (1.) Ignorance corrupt~ the Confc.ience, Confcience is the Guide of Life and Con[mnct. Knowledge is the Eye of Confcience, which if it be darkned, the Blind leads the Jino;;n Blind till both fall into the Ditch. Confcience is a Guide that leads apace, and ee. therefore had need fee its Way before it, which fome not being well able to difc7rn, have wom1d them~elves into inextri~ab~e W_andrings, purfuing every glanng Delufion, and runmng after every skipping Ltght that danccth b.cfore it, rill at la!t they have loft both thewfelvcs and their Confciences too: HoW many are there that have thus bewildred themfelves in their own Fanfies and Opinions, and fo h:1ve fallen upon the Precipice of damnable Errors, and into Boos of Mire ~nd filthy Lufts, only t,hrough an ignorant Confcien" and felf·conceitedPdde that IS always a Companion of it; this Ignorance fills the Confcience with falfe Prefumptions, and draws it to wrong Determinations and Conclufions, which though they feem to be but little miftakes in the Notion, yet are they moit deftruClive and pernicious in "t Man's praCtice: As a fmall mifrake in the levelling of an Arrow at the Har.d, makes a wide diftance at the Mark ; fo a fmall mifrake in the Notiol'l of Truth, makes a wide Error in the praC\:i<;e of Godlisefs. A mi[perfwadtd Con· ftitnrt
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=