Book IV. C 0 N S C I E N C E A W I T N E S S. r r. When Confcience cannot find any Duty or Ordinance, which the Soul is con– vinced of, to be ne<>leCled, -though he be expofed to reproach thereby. · To obey God io Baptifm, is called the Anfwer of a good Confcience; Confcience calls for Obedience to this, and to all orher Ordinonces of the Gt>fpel, when convinced of them. 12. And lall:ly; When Confcience beareth Teftimony to a Soul, that it loveth God and Jefus Chr.l1: above all l'hings in this World, &c. l-Ie that bateth not Father and Mother, &c. cannot be my Difciple ; that is, if he hath not a lelfer Love to them; for the ldfer Love in Scripture is called a H atred, which our Savior openeth in ano– ther Place, He tbac loveth Father or Mother more than.mt, is not wm·thy-of me; .and he that lo,,eth Son trf Daughter more-than me, is not worthy of me, 8<c. Yea doubt!efs, I ac– cozmt all Things but Lofs, &c. Phi/. iii. 8, 9• 10. f<!fefl. How /hall a Man get and keep a good Confcieuce? Anjw. r. He muft get his HMrt ·fprinkled wirh the 'Blood of.Chri!t Let us draw mar with a true Htart, i11 Jut! A.ffurance of Faith, ha·ving our Heart JPrink/ed from an evil Ccnfcimce, &c. l-ieb. x. 22. See that you experience that the Blood of Chril1: hath as cildrually purged your Confciences from dead Works, as the Blood of Bulls and Goats fanCl:ified to the purifyjng of the Flelh, Heb. ix. '+· 2. H e muft take heed of all fuch Things as offend his Confcience; Confcience is a very tender Thing, the fmalleft Thing will make it bleed. 3· He muft take heed·-of evil and corrupt Principles; an erring Confcience is not a good Confcience. 4· Labor to fit under a Soul-fcarching Miniftry. 5· Take heed of vain Glory, and all fecret Evil; Cor.fcience ·prierh into thy mo!t inward Thoughts; beware of fpeculari ve Sin. 6. Labor to keep thy Tongue. Whofo keepeth his Mouth, and his Tongue, keepeth his Soul from ']',·ouble. 7· Labor to bring thy Heart into every Duty, beware of Hypocrify. 8. Do not grieve or offend thy Confcience in any Thing; thouo-h the Matter may be in itfelf lawtul, yet thou muft not do·it, if rhou haft a doubt in ~hy Spirit about it" He that doubteth is damned, R.om. xiv. 23. that is, condemned in his own Confcience. But much more rake heed of doing that which is by all owned to be utterly unlawful. 9· Labor in all ACls to be fincere. Confcience hath power to o-ive in Teflimony concerning thy 1Integrity; if rhy H eart be unfounc1, and not uprial~, Confcience will foon difcover it, and reproach thee for it, and thou wilt not be able to hold out to the End: And fad will it be to have thy own Confcience wirne(s againlt thee, when thou •comeft to lie on a lick Bed; an evil Confcience will be a bad Death-bed Companion. 0 how cloth thts reprov~ thofe that lin, and regard not the Checks and Rebukes of •their own Hearts ! Confcience in the great Day will be more .than ten dwufand Wit– >neJfes a_gamfr.them. llC Metaphors
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