Renewing of tbe Confcicnce. that corrodin?;. and .gnawing Guilt tha_t lies upon Confcience, which a true and -genuine Trouble ts a means by Gcd appowted to remove. ·swwdly, How may a Man know when Confcience is quiet, whether it be quie!:cd Bow 11 upon God's Grounds, bcca!1fc the Guilt of Sin is removed from it? [::~ '::fe~~: his Canfdence is qrda, 1t1h~d:"ir b( huauftguilt of Sin is rem~J~~td or niJf, To this I .Anfrrcr; it muft be confidered, whether quietnefs of Confcicnce comes after Trouble; and if Confcience be quiet after Trouble, then you muft confider how it came to he quieted. Did you we~r it away wit~ other Bufincffcs? Or, did you feek to God by Prayet> and applywg of the.Promtfcs to y~ur felvcs? Did yon, in the way of God, obtam ~eace?. Wl2Y ~ow 1f a Man's qutetnefs that be hath, be got aft-er Troull.le, and tf go_t Ill Gods way, that way that he bath appointed to frill and to qutct the Confctence, you may. then fatisfie your felf in it. But when as you. never have been troubled, or havmg been troubled have worn it off you may be alfured fuch a Peace of Confcience is far worfe and more dan£!"e;·ous, than the moft horrid Troubles and Difquietments of Confciencc that CJ.Il ~he. 1 come now to the 1'hird general H_ead prcpotmded,_ a~Jd that was tofhetv ;ou, What great Imporwi"tt, 11nd .of rcbat .benejictaL Cor:Jequence ~t tJ to lucp our (.Onfc:cnces clear and inolfen[I".Jt. And Ill fpca~Hlg unto this, 1 Jhall at once both gn·e you the Rcafons of the Point; ~hy It fho~ld be our continual Endeavour to k"ccp c.lear Tbe EzConfciences, and alfo gave you l\lottvcs to perfuade you to the Duty. I fha!l only ,tUenryof nlme Six. a r:kar Co~flienrc: cpmtd, in fix Partieul:trs. Fidt, A clea~· Confetcnce i-1 the mOJI com[orta~le Rc!i.ef under .fal{e Reproaches and 1. A [perforts that are c~ft. upon m. A g:ood Confc1ence lS only m our own Power, It U 4 mafl but a good Name ts 10 the Power of every fianderous Tongue to blaft; and in- r:omfarr~~ deed it is a thing almofi: impoffiblc to keep at once both a good Confcience and a ble/efi% good Name too: The Worl~ is fhatter~d and. fractured into fo many Parties, R.:,%a:b.e and each of them of fuch different Reltfues ot good and b:W, that unlcfs our es. Actions have as univerfal a Guft, as according to the Rabbir/'s Tr(tditwn, the Jfrael."te's Manna had, thc\t it had the taftc of that which they bcft fanfied, unlefs our A8.ions have fuch a univerfal Guft, we muft of neceffity fall under Mif-con~ ftrnaions, Cenfures and Defama~io~s; for indeed if yon obferv.e it, ufna!ly our Similitude to o~hers makes them tlunk and fpcak \VC\l of us: \Vhofoevcr cammends another, cbmmends fomewhat that he fuppofeth at lcaft he hath in himfelf; ar1d this the rcafon of that Woe o~ our Saviour,_ Luke 6. 26. ~·Voe to you when all Men j1J:tll jfed_ well of )'Ou. \V hen WICked Men fpeak well of us it is a Sign we arc hut too roo like them. Even a HrarJJm coul~l f.:y, when he was lughly applauded by the vulgar Rout 1 What £-:;it have I d011e, r:;ut tbrfe Men prJ!i[e m~? The very reproaches of ungodly Men, are the beft Teftimonills that can be given of an excellent and fingular Chriftian. In a ftrict and holy Cooverfation there is that conuadi8:ion to the loofc Prophanenefs of the \\lorld, as at once both con~ vinccth and o~nds them, reprov.es them and galls the1!1; and if we thus reproach .therr. by our Laves, we muft agaao expeB: that they wtll repro:1.ch us by their Lyings and Slanders. It is a finful tendernefs of our eftcem among Men when we tack abont with every popular Breath that blows; fuch muft needs prefer the Praife of Men before the Praife of God; and let me tcH youl this is as fruirlefs as it is finful, fince as the Wind .always blows f~om contrary Points and Qj1arters, fo while fame extol us others will as much viltfy and fcorn us. It is miferable to live upon the Reports and Opini?ns of others; let. u.s not reckon wha~ they fay, but what Reports our own Confctences make us; It IS far better to offend the whole World than God and Confcience: And if any ftorm of Obloquy, Reproach, Railing or bitter Curfing at any tane batters upon us, how fweet then is i! to retire inward to the calm lnnocency of our own Hearts, where arc a thoufand Witne[es within us, that tell us we have not deferved them? How comfortable is it to remit our Caufe to God, and leave our Vindication to him for whofe· fake we fuftCr Reproach? Thus w7 find the Prophet ']eremy appealing unto God, ']cr. 20. to, 12~ I heard the defammg of many; report, [ay they, and we will reporr it; that is, let us raife a difgraceful and a reproachful Report of him: But, fays he, 0 Lord of Hofl, thou that trieft the R1ghreous , thott that [rcfl the Reins rmd the Heart, Fpppp """
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