Rencwi11g of the- Confcience. we ch1rgc our felves with them and impure_ them to our felvcs, qod will not impute them to us, but charge them upon Ch_nft; for he bath promJfcd, {(we judge and condemn tmr [elves, that we /htdl not be ;udged and condemn~d. Thus m 2 Sam. r 2. '3· as foon as David had there, by an humble ConfeffioD, taken l1is Sin to himfelf, fayincr, I have finned; God, by the Prophet, tells him, That he had takm away biJ Sin fro~ him : The Lord, alfo fays the Proph_et to him,. lwh put a1vay thy Sin. And, indeed, have we not found It thm by mamfold Expenences, that when Confdence hath been bowed down by the unfuppor table Weight of the Guilt of Sin, have ye not found that a forrowful and ingenuous Confeffion of them nnto God hath lightned the Burden? And whereas before, Confcience was heavy and gloomy, now it looks chearfully upon you, under. the apprehenfions of God~s pardoning Grace, that God wtll pardon and forg1ve them to us. Now th1s eafing of our Confciences by Confeffion m11ft be frequently reiterated ; our Confciences are always filling with Sin and Guilt, and therefore we mnft bc"alWays cafl:ing of it out by Confeilion. As in the emptying of a Pond, where there are many Streams rifing and bubbling up, if we ftop and intermit the \Vork, the Pond grows prefently full again. Truly our Hearts :Ind Confcicnces are like fuch Ponds, in which there are many corrupt Streams !till fpoutiog up; now Confefiion is the: Laving of it out, which if we do but a while intermit, our Confciences again grow as full of Sin and Guilt as ever; and therefore, it mufr be a frequent and daily Confeffion of Sin, yea, our Confeffion.muft be reiterated as often as we fall into and commit any Sin. And thlt i~ another Means to keep our Confciencc:s clear, 1 might alfo ad.d, That mz ~lfeEtual Me.1m to keep the Confcience clear, is fuqumrly to wajh it with repenrmg 'TearJ: But becaUfe unfeigned 'Confeffion of Sin dotb alfo include aud fuppofe a pen itentia l F rame of Heart, l fha\J nGt, therefore, infift upoa this as a particular Head. In the 'Third place, therefore, If you would keep your ConfcictJCCJ clear and inoffen3 . five, rhmlabour to get a mean and low efteem Of the World. The inordinate Love Geramean of the prefent World is utterly incor.fiftent with a good Confcience: What is it 4!J/Jow f t hat makes fo many offer Violence to their Confciences, to ftretch and wrack them ~h;~ jd to any bafe complianct or finful pratl"ice, but on ly that they may thereby gain ° 1 • fomc: fecular Advantage, or that they may thereby avoid fome worldly Inconven ience? This is that which fills the World wi(h Fraud and Cozenage, with Rapine and Extortion, while all tug hard to get one from another, al though they lofe the ir Confciences in the Scuffle. This is that which mJkes Men fo often fhift their Sails, that they may run before every \\find that blows. Jf Times grow rough and tempeftuous, and they muft throw over-Board either their Gain or their Godlinefs, this inordinate Love of the World perfuades them to make Shiprvrttck of F11i.rh and a good Confci.ence, o'nly that they may bear up in the World. Now they that have but a low and mean efteem of the Wotld, fuch as it deferves, efcape this Temptation, and they can with a holy Generoufnefs fcorn to profritute their Confciences, and to batter their precious Souls .for the Gain of any of thefe fading and pcrifhing Riches here beiow, Riches that perifh in the ufing. If therefore you would kerp good Confcienc~.~, learn to defpife the Threats and Frowns, the Flatterings and Fawnings of [his World; look upon it as of no great concernment to you, whatever in Adverfity or Profperity can happen to you in this Ihort and frail Life. RefleCt upon thofe who groan under the Terrors of a wounded Confcience; all the Wor~d cannot give them one moments Eafe or Comfort; yea, had they the whole World at their difpofe they would give it all to procure Peace, yea, but a Truce for a while with their own Confciences; fuch a va in and contemptible Thing is the World i n comparifon of inward Tranquil ity a.ud Serenity of Mind. Why now .thus to rate the World below the Peace and Quiet· nefs of our own ~onfciences, is an excellent Means to prefervc them clear and peaceable. •· Fourthly, lJ you would keep Confcience clear, labour above all thingJ to ftrmgthen your StrenglhFa:rh. Faith is a purifying Grace. AEfJ I 5· 9· Purifyi,g their Hearu by }'airh. e; ~~ur Now Faith hath a double Influence to purifie the Heart or Confcience. . F;;:h·pu. rijitJ the Cotrfiienre rwo rv.tp; . Firft, .A dogmatical Faith keeps th1 Confcience cle11r and pure,. and t hat morally. '· A1irila dogma1iol Fairb, atrd{oi r d01hir mor 11u 1 • Secondly,
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